Bill Text: FL S0262 | 2019 | Regular Session | Enrolled


Bill Title: Child Welfare

Spectrum:

Status: (Passed) 2019-06-26 - Chapter No. 2019-128 [S0262 Detail]

Download: Florida-2019-S0262-Enrolled.html
       ENROLLED
       2019 Legislature                    CS for SB 262, 1st Engrossed
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                                              2019262er
    1  
    2         An act relating to child welfare; amending s. 39.001,
    3         F.S.; providing for the name of a child’s guardian ad
    4         litem or attorney ad litem to be entered on court
    5         orders in dependency proceedings; amending s. 39.0136,
    6         F.S.; requiring cooperation between certain parties
    7         and the court to achieve permanency for a child as
    8         soon as possible; requiring the Department of Children
    9         and Families to ensure that parents have the
   10         information necessary to contact their case manager;
   11         requiring that a new case manager who is assigned to a
   12         case notify the parent and provide updated contact
   13         information; specifying that continuances and
   14         extensions of time by the court on its own motion may
   15         not exceed a certain period of time; amending s.
   16         39.402, F.S.; specifying that time limitations
   17         governing placement of a child in a shelter do not
   18         include continuances requested by the court; requiring
   19         the court to advise parents in plain language what is
   20         expected of them to achieve reunification with their
   21         child; expanding the requirements that parents must
   22         meet to achieve reunification with their child;
   23         amending s. 39.507, F.S.; requiring the court during
   24         an adjudicatory hearing to advise parents in plain
   25         language of certain requirements to achieve permanency
   26         with their child; expanding the requirements that
   27         parents must meet to achieve reunification with their
   28         child; amending s. 39.521, F.S.; requiring the
   29         department to serve copies of the case plan and the
   30         family functioning assessment on the parents of the
   31         child and provide copies of the plan and assessment to
   32         the other parties; amending s. 39.522, F.S.;
   33         specifying that a postdisposition hearing, if needed,
   34         must occur before a child achieves a permanency
   35         placement; amending s. 39.6011, F.S.; requiring that
   36         the written notice in a case plan include certain
   37         responsibilities and actions required of the parents
   38         and inform the parent that a breach of the case plan
   39         by the parent’s action or inaction may result in an
   40         earlier filing of a petition for termination of
   41         parental rights; requiring the department to ensure
   42         that the parent has certain contact information and to
   43         explain certain strategies included in the case plan;
   44         providing a timeframe for referrals for services;
   45         amending s. 39.6012, F.S.; expanding the tasks and
   46         services a case plan must describe; amending s.
   47         39.6013, F.S.; conforming a cross-reference; amending
   48         s. 39.621, F.S.; revising when a court must hold
   49         certain hearings relating to dependency cases;
   50         amending s. 39.806, F.S.; specifying that grounds for
   51         termination of parental rights may be established when
   52         a case plan is materially breached by a parent or
   53         parents’ action or inaction; amending s. 39.811, F.S.;
   54         requiring the court to enter a written order of
   55         disposition within a specified timeframe following
   56         termination of parental rights; providing an effective
   57         date.
   58  
   59  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   60  
   61         Section 1. Subsection (7) of section 39.001, Florida
   62  Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (j) is added to subsection
   63  (3) of that section, to read:
   64         39.001 Purposes and intent; personnel standards and
   65  screening.—
   66         (3) GENERAL PROTECTIONS FOR CHILDREN.—It is a purpose of
   67  the Legislature that the children of this state be provided with
   68  the following protections:
   69         (j)The ability to contact their guardian ad litem or
   70  attorney ad litem, if appointed, by having that individual’s
   71  name entered on all orders of the court.
   72         (7) PARENTAL, CUSTODIAL, AND GUARDIAN RESPONSIBILITIES.
   73  Parents, custodians, and guardians are deemed by the state to be
   74  responsible for providing their children with sufficient
   75  support, guidance, and supervision. The state further recognizes
   76  that the ability of parents, custodians, and guardians to
   77  fulfill those responsibilities can be greatly impaired by
   78  economic, social, behavioral, emotional, and related problems.
   79  It is therefore the policy of the Legislature that it is the
   80  state’s responsibility to ensure that factors impeding the
   81  ability of caregivers to fulfill their responsibilities are
   82  identified through the dependency process and that appropriate
   83  recommendations and services to address those problems are
   84  considered in any judicial or nonjudicial proceeding. The
   85  Legislature also recognizes that time is of the essence for
   86  establishing permanency for a child in the dependency system.
   87  Therefore, parents must take action to comply with the case plan
   88  so permanency with the child may occur within the shortest
   89  period of time possible, but no later than 1 year after removal
   90  or adjudication of the child, including by notifying the parties
   91  and the court of barriers to case plan compliance.
   92         Section 2. Section 39.0136, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   93  read:
   94         39.0136 Time limitations; continuances.—
   95         (1) The Legislature finds that time is of the essence for
   96  establishing permanency for a child in the dependency system.
   97  Time limitations are a right of the child which may not be
   98  waived, extended, or continued at the request of any party
   99  except as provided in this section.
  100         (2)(a)All parties and the court must work together to
  101  ensure that permanency is achieved as soon as possible for every
  102  child through timely performance of their responsibilities under
  103  this chapter.
  104         (b)The department shall ensure that parents have the
  105  information necessary to contact their case manager. When a new
  106  case manager is assigned to a case, the case manager must make a
  107  timely and diligent effort to notify the parent and provide
  108  updated contact information.
  109         (3)(2) The time limitations in this chapter do not include:
  110         (a) Periods of delay resulting from a continuance granted
  111  at the request of the child’s counsel or the child’s guardian ad
  112  litem or, if the child is of sufficient capacity to express
  113  reasonable consent, at the request or with the consent of the
  114  child. The court must consider the best interests of the child
  115  when determining periods of delay under this section.
  116         (b) Periods of delay resulting from a continuance granted
  117  at the request of any party if the continuance is granted:
  118         1. Because of an unavailability of evidence that is
  119  material to the case if the requesting party has exercised due
  120  diligence to obtain evidence and there are substantial grounds
  121  to believe that the evidence will be available within 30 days.
  122  However, if the requesting party is not prepared to proceed
  123  within 30 days, any other party may move for issuance of an
  124  order to show cause or the court on its own motion may impose
  125  appropriate sanctions, which may include dismissal of the
  126  petition.
  127         2. To allow the requesting party additional time to prepare
  128  the case and additional time is justified because of an
  129  exceptional circumstance.
  130         (c) Reasonable periods of delay necessary to accomplish
  131  notice of the hearing to the child’s parent or legal custodian;
  132  however, the petitioner shall continue regular efforts to
  133  provide notice to the parents during the periods of delay.
  134         (4)(3) Notwithstanding subsection (3) (2), in order to
  135  expedite permanency for a child, the total time allowed for
  136  continuances or extensions of time, including continuances or
  137  extensions by the court on its own motion, may not exceed 60
  138  days within any 12-month period for proceedings conducted under
  139  this chapter. A continuance or extension of time may be granted
  140  only for extraordinary circumstances in which it is necessary to
  141  preserve the constitutional rights of a party or if substantial
  142  evidence exists to demonstrate that without granting a
  143  continuance or extension of time the child’s best interests will
  144  be harmed.
  145         (5)(4) Notwithstanding subsection (3) (2), a continuance or
  146  an extension of time is limited to the number of days absolutely
  147  necessary to complete a necessary task in order to preserve the
  148  rights of a party or the best interests of a child.
  149         Section 3. Paragraph (f) of subsection (14) and subsections
  150  (15) and (18) of section 39.402, Florida Statutes, are amended
  151  to read:
  152         39.402 Placement in a shelter.—
  153         (14) The time limitations in this section do not include:
  154         (f) Continuances or extensions of time may not total more
  155  than 60 days for all parties and the court on its own motion
  156  within any 12-month period during proceedings under this
  157  chapter. A continuance or extension beyond the 60 days may be
  158  granted only for extraordinary circumstances necessary to
  159  preserve the constitutional rights of a party or when
  160  substantial evidence demonstrates that the child’s best
  161  interests will be affirmatively harmed without the granting of a
  162  continuance or extension of time.
  163         (15) The department, at the conclusion of the shelter
  164  hearing, shall make available to parents or legal custodians
  165  seeking voluntary services, any referral information necessary
  166  for participation in such identified services to allow the
  167  parents or legal custodians to begin the services as soon as
  168  possible. The parents’ or legal custodians’ participation in the
  169  services may shall not be considered an admission or other
  170  acknowledgment of the allegations in the shelter petition.
  171         (18) The court shall advise the parents in plain language
  172  what is expected of them to achieve reunification with their
  173  child, including that:,
  174         (a)Parents must take action to comply with the case plan
  175  so permanency with the child may occur within the shortest
  176  period of time possible, but no later than 1 year after removal
  177  or adjudication of the child.
  178         (b)Parents must stay in contact with their attorney and
  179  their case manager and provide updated contact information if
  180  the parents’ phone number, address, or e-mail address changes.
  181         (c)Parents must notify the parties and the court of
  182  barriers to completing case plan tasks within a reasonable time
  183  after discovering such barriers.
  184         (d) If the parents fail to substantially comply with the
  185  case plan, their parental rights may be terminated and that the
  186  child’s out-of-home placement may become permanent.
  187         Section 4. Paragraph (c) of subsection (7) of section
  188  39.507, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  189         39.507 Adjudicatory hearings; orders of adjudication.—
  190         (7)
  191         (c) If a court adjudicates a child dependent and the child
  192  is in out-of-home care, the court shall inquire of the parent or
  193  parents whether the parents have relatives who might be
  194  considered as a placement for the child. The parent or parents
  195  shall provide the court and all parties with identification and
  196  location information for such relatives. The court shall advise
  197  the parents in plain language that:,
  198         1.Parents must take action to comply with the case plan so
  199  permanency with the child may occur within the shortest period
  200  of time possible, but no later than 1 year after removal or
  201  adjudication of the child.
  202         2.Parents must stay in contact with their attorney and
  203  their case manager and provide updated contact information if
  204  the parents’ phone number, address, or e-mail address changes.
  205         3.Parents must notify the parties and the court of
  206  barriers to completing case plan tasks within a reasonable time
  207  after discovering such barriers.
  208         4. If the parents fail to substantially comply with the
  209  case plan, their parental rights may be terminated and that the
  210  child’s out-of-home placement may become permanent. The parent
  211  or parents shall provide to the court and all parties
  212  identification and location information of the relatives.
  213         Section 5. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
  214  39.521, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  215         39.521 Disposition hearings; powers of disposition.—
  216         (1) A disposition hearing shall be conducted by the court,
  217  if the court finds that the facts alleged in the petition for
  218  dependency were proven in the adjudicatory hearing, or if the
  219  parents or legal custodians have consented to the finding of
  220  dependency or admitted the allegations in the petition, have
  221  failed to appear for the arraignment hearing after proper
  222  notice, or have not been located despite a diligent search
  223  having been conducted.
  224         (a) A written case plan and a family functioning assessment
  225  prepared by an authorized agent of the department must be
  226  approved by the court. The department must file the case plan
  227  and the family functioning assessment with the court, serve
  228  copies a copy of the case plan on the parents of the child, and
  229  provide copies a copy of the case plan to the representative of
  230  the guardian ad litem program, if the program has been
  231  appointed, and a copy to all other parties:
  232         1. Not less than 72 hours before the disposition hearing,
  233  if the disposition hearing occurs on or after the 60th day after
  234  the date the child was placed in out-of-home care. All such case
  235  plans must be approved by the court.
  236         2. Not less than 72 hours before the case plan acceptance
  237  hearing, if the disposition hearing occurs before the 60th day
  238  after the date the child was placed in out-of-home care and a
  239  case plan has not been submitted pursuant to this paragraph, or
  240  if the court does not approve the case plan at the disposition
  241  hearing. The case plan acceptance hearing must occur within 30
  242  days after the disposition hearing to review and approve the
  243  case plan.
  244         Section 6. Subsection (1) of section 39.522, Florida
  245  Statutes, is amended to read:
  246         39.522 Postdisposition change of custody.—The court may
  247  change the temporary legal custody or the conditions of
  248  protective supervision at a postdisposition hearing, without the
  249  necessity of another adjudicatory hearing.
  250         (1) At any time before a child is residing in the permanent
  251  placement approved at the permanency hearing, a child who has
  252  been placed in the child’s own home under the protective
  253  supervision of an authorized agent of the department, in the
  254  home of a relative, in the home of a legal custodian, or in some
  255  other place may be brought before the court by the department or
  256  by any other interested person, upon the filing of a motion
  257  petition alleging a need for a change in the conditions of
  258  protective supervision or the placement. If the parents or other
  259  legal custodians deny the need for a change, the court shall
  260  hear all parties in person or by counsel, or both. Upon the
  261  admission of a need for a change or after such hearing, the
  262  court shall enter an order changing the placement, modifying the
  263  conditions of protective supervision, or continuing the
  264  conditions of protective supervision as ordered. The standard
  265  for changing custody of the child shall be the best interest of
  266  the child. When applying this standard, the court shall consider
  267  the continuity of the child’s placement in the same out-of-home
  268  residence as a factor when determining the best interests of the
  269  child. If the child is not placed in foster care, then the new
  270  placement for the child must meet the home study criteria and
  271  court approval pursuant to this chapter.
  272         Section 7. Present subsections (4) through (8) of section
  273  39.6011, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (5)
  274  through (9), respectively, paragraph (e) of subsection (2) and
  275  present subsection (6) of that section are amended, and a new
  276  subsection (4) is added to that section, to read:
  277         39.6011 Case plan development.—
  278         (2) The case plan must be written simply and clearly in
  279  English and, if English is not the principal language of the
  280  child’s parent, to the extent possible in the parent’s principal
  281  language. Each case plan must contain:
  282         (e)  A written notice to the parent that it is the parent’s
  283  responsibility to take action to comply with the case plan so
  284  permanency with the child may occur within the shortest period
  285  of time possible, but no later than 1 year after removal or
  286  adjudication of the child; the parent must notify the parties
  287  and the court of barriers to completing case plan tasks within a
  288  reasonable time after discovering such barriers if the parties
  289  are not actively working to overcome them; failure of the parent
  290  to substantially comply with the case plan may result in the
  291  termination of parental rights;, and that a material breach of
  292  the case plan by the parent’s action or inaction may result in
  293  the filing of a petition for termination of parental rights
  294  sooner than the compliance period set forth in the case plan.
  295         (4)Before signing the case plan, the department shall
  296  explain the provisions of the plan to all persons involved in
  297  its implementation, including, when appropriate, the child. The
  298  department shall ensure that the parent has contact information
  299  for all entities necessary to complete the tasks in the plan.
  300  The department shall explain the strategies included in the plan
  301  which the parent can use to overcome barriers to case plan
  302  compliance and shall explain that if a barrier is discovered and
  303  the parties are not actively working to overcome such barrier,
  304  the parent must notify the parties and the court within a
  305  reasonable time after discovering such barrier.
  306         (7)(6) After the case plan has been developed, the
  307  department shall adhere to the following procedural
  308  requirements:
  309         (a) If the parent’s substantial compliance with the case
  310  plan requires the department to provide services to the parents
  311  or the child and the parents agree to begin compliance with the
  312  case plan before the case plan’s acceptance by the court, the
  313  department shall make the appropriate referrals for services
  314  that will allow the parents to begin the agreed-upon tasks and
  315  services immediately.
  316         (b)All other referrals for services must be completed as
  317  soon as possible, but no later than 7 days after the date of the
  318  case plan approval, unless the case plan specifies that a task
  319  may not be undertaken until another specified task has been
  320  completed or otherwise approved by the court.
  321         (c)(b) After the case plan has been agreed upon and signed
  322  by the parties, a copy of the plan must be given immediately to
  323  the parties, including the child if appropriate, and to other
  324  persons as directed by the court.
  325         1. A case plan must be prepared, but need not be submitted
  326  to the court, for a child who will be in care no longer than 30
  327  days unless that child is placed in out-of-home care a second
  328  time within a 12-month period.
  329         2. In each case in which a child has been placed in out-of
  330  home care, a case plan must be prepared within 60 days after the
  331  department removes the child from the home and shall be
  332  submitted to the court before the disposition hearing for the
  333  court to review and approve.
  334         3. After jurisdiction attaches, all case plans must be
  335  filed with the court, and a copy provided to all the parties
  336  whose whereabouts are known, not less than 3 business days
  337  before the disposition hearing. The department shall file with
  338  the court, and provide copies to the parties, all case plans
  339  prepared before jurisdiction of the court attached.
  340         Section 8. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
  341  39.6012, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  342         39.6012 Case plan tasks; services.—
  343         (1) The services to be provided to the parent and the tasks
  344  that must be completed are subject to the following:
  345         (b) The case plan must describe each of the tasks with
  346  which the parent must comply and the services to be provided to
  347  the parent, specifically addressing the identified problem,
  348  including:
  349         1. The type of services or treatment.
  350         2. The date the department will provide each service or
  351  referral for the service if the service is being provided by the
  352  department or its agent.
  353         3. The date by which the parent must complete each task.
  354         4. The frequency of services or treatment provided. The
  355  frequency of the delivery of services or treatment provided
  356  shall be determined by the professionals providing the services
  357  or treatment on a case-by-case basis and adjusted according to
  358  their best professional judgment.
  359         5. The location of the delivery of the services.
  360         6. The staff of the department or service provider
  361  accountable for the services or treatment.
  362         7. A description of the measurable objectives, including
  363  the timeframes specified for achieving the objectives of the
  364  case plan and addressing the identified problem.
  365         8.Strategies to overcome barriers to case plan compliance
  366  and an explanation that the parent must notify the parties and
  367  the court within a reasonable time after discovering a barrier
  368  that the parties are not actively working to overcome such
  369  barrier.
  370         Section 9. Subsection (8) of section 39.6013, Florida
  371  Statutes, is amended to read:
  372         39.6013 Case plan amendments.—
  373         (8) Amendments must include service interventions that are
  374  the least intrusive into the life of the parent and child, must
  375  focus on clearly defined objectives, and must provide the most
  376  efficient path to quick reunification or permanent placement
  377  given the circumstances of the case and the child’s need for
  378  safe and proper care. A copy of the amended plan must be
  379  immediately given to the persons identified in s. 39.6011(7)(c)
  380  s. 39.6011(6)(b).
  381         Section 10. Present subsection (12) of section 39.621,
  382  Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (11), and
  383  subsection (10) and present subsection (11) of that section are
  384  amended, to read:
  385         39.621 Permanency determination by the court.—
  386         (10) The permanency placement is intended to continue until
  387  the child reaches the age of majority and may not be disturbed
  388  absent a finding by the court that the circumstances of the
  389  permanency placement are no longer in the best interest of the
  390  child.
  391         (a) If, after a child is residing in the permanent
  392  placement approved at the permanency hearing, a parent who has
  393  not had his or her parental rights terminated makes a motion for
  394  reunification or increased contact with the child, the court
  395  shall hold a hearing to determine whether the dependency case
  396  should be reopened and whether there should be a modification of
  397  the order.
  398         (b) At the hearing, the parent must demonstrate that the
  399  safety, well-being, and physical, mental, and emotional health
  400  of the child is not endangered by the modification.
  401         (c)(11) The court shall base its decision concerning any
  402  motion by a parent for reunification or increased contact with a
  403  child on the effect of the decision on the safety, well-being,
  404  and physical and emotional health of the child. Factors that
  405  must be considered and addressed in the findings of fact of the
  406  order on the motion must include:
  407         1.(a) The compliance or noncompliance of the parent with
  408  the case plan;
  409         2.(b) The circumstances which caused the child’s dependency
  410  and whether those circumstances have been resolved;
  411         3.(c) The stability and longevity of the child’s placement;
  412         4.(d) The preferences of the child, if the child is of
  413  sufficient age and understanding to express a preference;
  414         5.(e) The recommendation of the current custodian; and
  415         6.(f) The recommendation of the guardian ad litem, if one
  416  has been appointed.
  417         Section 11. Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section
  418  39.806, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  419         39.806 Grounds for termination of parental rights.—
  420         (1) Grounds for the termination of parental rights may be
  421  established under any of the following circumstances:
  422         (e) When a child has been adjudicated dependent, a case
  423  plan has been filed with the court, and:
  424         1. The child continues to be abused, neglected, or
  425  abandoned by the parent or parents. The failure of the parent or
  426  parents to substantially comply with the case plan for a period
  427  of 12 months after an adjudication of the child as a dependent
  428  child or the child’s placement into shelter care, whichever
  429  occurs first, constitutes evidence of continuing abuse, neglect,
  430  or abandonment unless the failure to substantially comply with
  431  the case plan was due to the parent’s lack of financial
  432  resources or to the failure of the department to make reasonable
  433  efforts to reunify the parent and child. The 12-month period
  434  begins to run only after the child’s placement into shelter care
  435  or the entry of a disposition order placing the custody of the
  436  child with the department or a person other than the parent and
  437  the court’s approval of a case plan having the goal of
  438  reunification with the parent, whichever occurs first; or
  439         2. The parent or parents have materially breached the case
  440  plan by their action or inaction. Time is of the essence for
  441  permanency of children in the dependency system. In order to
  442  prove the parent or parents have materially breached the case
  443  plan, the court must find by clear and convincing evidence that
  444  the parent or parents are unlikely or unable to substantially
  445  comply with the case plan before time to comply with the case
  446  plan expires.
  447         3. The child has been in care for any 12 of the last 22
  448  months and the parents have not substantially complied with the
  449  case plan so as to permit reunification under s. 39.522(2)
  450  unless the failure to substantially comply with the case plan
  451  was due to the parent’s lack of financial resources or to the
  452  failure of the department to make reasonable efforts to reunify
  453  the parent and child.
  454         Section 12. Subsection (5) of section 39.811, Florida
  455  Statutes, is amended to read:
  456         39.811 Powers of disposition; order of disposition.—
  457         (5) If the court terminates parental rights, the court
  458  shall enter a written order of disposition within 30 days after
  459  conclusion of the hearing briefly stating the facts upon which
  460  its decision to terminate the parental rights is made. An order
  461  of termination of parental rights, whether based on parental
  462  consent or after notice served as prescribed in this part,
  463  permanently deprives the parents of any right to the child.
  464         Section 13. This act shall take effect October 1, 2019.

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