HB4825 Engrossed LRB096 16457 RLC 31727 b

1     AN ACT concerning courts.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Juvenile Court Act of 1987 is amended by
5 changing Sections 2-28 and 2-34 as follows:
 
6     (705 ILCS 405/2-28)  (from Ch. 37, par. 802-28)
7     Sec. 2-28. Court review.
8     (1) The court may require any legal custodian or guardian
9 of the person appointed under this Act to report periodically
10 to the court or may cite him into court and require him or his
11 agency, to make a full and accurate report of his or its doings
12 in behalf of the minor. The custodian or guardian, within 10
13 days after such citation, shall make the report, either in
14 writing verified by affidavit or orally under oath in open
15 court, or otherwise as the court directs. Upon the hearing of
16 the report the court may remove the custodian or guardian and
17 appoint another in his stead or restore the minor to the
18 custody of his parents or former guardian or custodian.
19 However, custody of the minor shall not be restored to any
20 parent, guardian or legal custodian in any case in which the
21 minor is found to be neglected or abused under Section 2-3 or
22 dependent under Section 2-4 of this Act, unless the minor can
23 be cared for at home without endangering the minor's health or

 

 

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1 safety and it is in the best interests of the minor, and if
2 such neglect, abuse, or dependency is found by the court under
3 paragraph (1) of Section 2-21 of this Act to have come about
4 due to the acts or omissions or both of such parent, guardian
5 or legal custodian, until such time as an investigation is made
6 as provided in paragraph (5) and a hearing is held on the issue
7 of the fitness of such parent, guardian or legal custodian to
8 care for the minor and the court enters an order that such
9 parent, guardian or legal custodian is fit to care for the
10 minor.
11     (2) The first permanency hearing shall be conducted by the
12 judge. Subsequent permanency hearings may be heard by a judge
13 or by hearing officers appointed or approved by the court in
14 the manner set forth in Section 2-28.1 of this Act. The initial
15 hearing shall be held (a) within 12 months from the date
16 temporary custody was taken, (b) if the parental rights of both
17 parents have been terminated in accordance with the procedure
18 described in subsection (5) of Section 2-21, within 30 days of
19 the order for termination of parental rights and appointment of
20 a guardian with power to consent to adoption, or (c) in
21 accordance with subsection (2) of Section 2-13.1. Subsequent
22 permanency hearings shall be held every 6 months or more
23 frequently if necessary in the court's determination following
24 the initial permanency hearing, in accordance with the
25 standards set forth in this Section, until the court determines
26 that the plan and goal have been achieved. Once the plan and

 

 

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1 goal have been achieved, if the minor remains in substitute
2 care, the case shall be reviewed at least every 6 months
3 thereafter, subject to the provisions of this Section, unless
4 the minor is placed in the guardianship of a suitable relative
5 or other person and the court determines that further
6 monitoring by the court does not further the health, safety or
7 best interest of the child and that this is a stable permanent
8 placement. The permanency hearings must occur within the time
9 frames set forth in this subsection and may not be delayed in
10 anticipation of a report from any source or due to the agency's
11 failure to timely file its written report (this written report
12 means the one required under the next paragraph and does not
13 mean the service plan also referred to in that paragraph).
14     The public agency that is the custodian or guardian of the
15 minor, or another agency responsible for the minor's care,
16 shall ensure that all parties to the permanency hearings are
17 provided a copy of the most recent service plan prepared within
18 the prior 6 months at least 14 days in advance of the hearing.
19 If not contained in the plan, the agency shall also include a
20 report setting forth (i) any special physical, psychological,
21 educational, medical, emotional, or other needs of the minor or
22 his or her family that are relevant to a permanency or
23 placement determination and (ii) for any minor age 16 or over,
24 a written description of the programs and services that will
25 enable the minor to prepare for independent living. The
26 agency's written report must detail what progress or lack of

 

 

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1 progress the parent has made in correcting the conditions
2 requiring the child to be in care; whether the child can be
3 returned home without jeopardizing the child's health, safety,
4 and welfare, and if not, what permanency goal is recommended to
5 be in the best interests of the child, and why the other
6 permanency goals are not appropriate. The caseworker must
7 appear and testify at the permanency hearing. If a permanency
8 hearing has not previously been scheduled by the court, the
9 moving party shall move for the setting of a permanency hearing
10 and the entry of an order within the time frames set forth in
11 this subsection.
12     At the permanency hearing, the court shall determine the
13 future status of the child. The court shall set one of the
14 following permanency goals:
15         (A) The minor will be returned home by a specific date
16     within 5 months.
17         (B) The minor will be in short-term care with a
18     continued goal to return home within a period not to exceed
19     one year, where the progress of the parent or parents is
20     substantial giving particular consideration to the age and
21     individual needs of the minor.
22         (B-1) The minor will be in short-term care with a
23     continued goal to return home pending a status hearing.
24     When the court finds that a parent has not made reasonable
25     efforts or reasonable progress to date, the court shall
26     identify what actions the parent and the Department must

 

 

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1     take in order to justify a finding of reasonable efforts or
2     reasonable progress and shall set a status hearing to be
3     held not earlier than 9 months from the date of
4     adjudication nor later than 11 months from the date of
5     adjudication during which the parent's progress will again
6     be reviewed.
7         (C) The minor will be in substitute care pending court
8     determination on termination of parental rights.
9         (D) Adoption, provided that parental rights have been
10     terminated or relinquished.
11         (E) The guardianship of the minor will be transferred
12     to an individual or couple on a permanent basis provided
13     that goals (A) through (D) have been ruled out.
14         (F) The minor over age 15 will be in substitute care
15     pending independence.
16         (G) The minor will be in substitute care because he or
17     she cannot be provided for in a home environment due to
18     developmental disabilities or mental illness or because he
19     or she is a danger to self or others, provided that goals
20     (A) through (D) have been ruled out.
21     In selecting any permanency goal, the court shall indicate
22 in writing the reasons the goal was selected and why the
23 preceding goals were ruled out. Where the court has selected a
24 permanency goal other than (A), (B), or (B-1), the Department
25 of Children and Family Services shall not provide further
26 reunification services, but shall provide services consistent

 

 

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1 with the goal selected.
2         (H) Notwithstanding any other provision in this
3     Section, the court may select the goal of continuing foster
4     care as a permanency goal if:
5             (1) The Department of Children and Family Services
6         has custody and guardianship of the minor;
7             (2) The court has ruled out all other permanency
8         goals based on the child's best interest;
9             (3) The court has found compelling reasons, based
10         on written documentation reviewed by the court, to
11         place the minor in continuing foster care. Compelling
12         reasons include:
13                 (a) the child does not wish to be adopted or to
14             be placed in the guardianship of his or her
15             relative or foster care placement;
16                 (b) the child exhibits an extreme level of need
17             such that the removal of the child from his or her
18             placement would be detrimental to the child; or
19                 (c) the child who is the subject of the
20             permanency hearing has existing close and strong
21             bonds with a sibling, and achievement of another
22             permanency goal would substantially interfere with
23             the subject child's sibling relationship, taking
24             into consideration the nature and extent of the
25             relationship, and whether ongoing contact is in
26             the subject child's best interest, including

 

 

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1             long-term emotional interest, as compared with the
2             legal and emotional benefit of permanence;
3             (4) The child has lived with the relative or foster
4         parent for at least one year; and
5             (5) The relative or foster parent currently caring
6         for the child is willing and capable of providing the
7         child with a stable and permanent environment.
8     The court shall set a permanency goal that is in the best
9 interest of the child. In determining that goal, the court
10 shall consult with the minor in an age-appropriate manner
11 regarding the proposed permanency or transition plan for the
12 minor. The court's determination shall include the following
13 factors:
14         (1) Age of the child.
15         (2) Options available for permanence, including both
16     out-of-State and in-State placement options.
17         (3) Current placement of the child and the intent of
18     the family regarding adoption.
19         (4) Emotional, physical, and mental status or
20     condition of the child.
21         (5) Types of services previously offered and whether or
22     not the services were successful and, if not successful,
23     the reasons the services failed.
24         (6) Availability of services currently needed and
25     whether the services exist.
26         (7) Status of siblings of the minor.

 

 

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1     The court shall consider (i) the permanency goal contained
2 in the service plan, (ii) the appropriateness of the services
3 contained in the plan and whether those services have been
4 provided, (iii) whether reasonable efforts have been made by
5 all the parties to the service plan to achieve the goal, and
6 (iv) whether the plan and goal have been achieved. All evidence
7 relevant to determining these questions, including oral and
8 written reports, may be admitted and may be relied on to the
9 extent of their probative value.
10     The court shall make findings as to whether, in violation
11 of Section 8.2 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act,
12 any portion of the service plan compels a child or parent to
13 engage in any activity or refrain from any activity that is not
14 reasonably related to remedying a condition or conditions that
15 gave rise or which could give rise to any finding of child
16 abuse or neglect. The services contained in the service plan
17 shall include services reasonably related to remedy the
18 conditions that gave rise to removal of the child from the home
19 of his or her parents, guardian, or legal custodian or that the
20 court has found must be remedied prior to returning the child
21 home. Any tasks the court requires of the parents, guardian, or
22 legal custodian or child prior to returning the child home,
23 must be reasonably related to remedying a condition or
24 conditions that gave rise to or which could give rise to any
25 finding of child abuse or neglect.
26     If the permanency goal is to return home, the court shall

 

 

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1 make findings that identify any problems that are causing
2 continued placement of the children away from the home and
3 identify what outcomes would be considered a resolution to
4 these problems. The court shall explain to the parents that
5 these findings are based on the information that the court has
6 at that time and may be revised, should additional evidence be
7 presented to the court.
8     If the goal has been achieved, the court shall enter orders
9 that are necessary to conform the minor's legal custody and
10 status to those findings.
11     If, after receiving evidence, the court determines that the
12 services contained in the plan are not reasonably calculated to
13 facilitate achievement of the permanency goal, the court shall
14 put in writing the factual basis supporting the determination
15 and enter specific findings based on the evidence. The court
16 also shall enter an order for the Department to develop and
17 implement a new service plan or to implement changes to the
18 current service plan consistent with the court's findings. The
19 new service plan shall be filed with the court and served on
20 all parties within 45 days of the date of the order. The court
21 shall continue the matter until the new service plan is filed.
22 Unless otherwise specifically authorized by law, the court is
23 not empowered under this subsection (2) or under subsection (3)
24 to order specific placements, specific services, or specific
25 service providers to be included in the plan.
26     A guardian or custodian appointed by the court pursuant to

 

 

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1 this Act shall file updated case plans with the court every 6
2 months.
3     Rights of wards of the court under this Act are enforceable
4 against any public agency by complaints for relief by mandamus
5 filed in any proceedings brought under this Act.
6     (3) Following the permanency hearing, the court shall enter
7 a written order that includes the determinations required under
8 subsection (2) of this Section and sets forth the following:
9         (a) The future status of the minor, including the
10     permanency goal, and any order necessary to conform the
11     minor's legal custody and status to such determination; or
12         (b) If the permanency goal of the minor cannot be
13     achieved immediately, the specific reasons for continuing
14     the minor in the care of the Department of Children and
15     Family Services or other agency for short term placement,
16     and the following determinations:
17             (i) (Blank).
18             (ii) Whether the services required by the court and
19         by any service plan prepared within the prior 6 months
20         have been provided and (A) if so, whether the services
21         were reasonably calculated to facilitate the
22         achievement of the permanency goal or (B) if not
23         provided, why the services were not provided.
24             (iii) Whether the minor's placement is necessary,
25         and appropriate to the plan and goal, recognizing the
26         right of minors to the least restrictive (most

 

 

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1         family-like) setting available and in close proximity
2         to the parents' home consistent with the health,
3         safety, best interest and special needs of the minor
4         and, if the minor is placed out-of-State, whether the
5         out-of-State placement continues to be appropriate and
6         consistent with the health, safety, and best interest
7         of the minor.
8             (iv) (Blank).
9             (v) (Blank).
10     (4) The minor or any person interested in the minor may
11 apply to the court for a change in custody of the minor and the
12 appointment of a new custodian or guardian of the person or for
13 the restoration of the minor to the custody of his parents or
14 former guardian or custodian.
15     When return home is not selected as the permanency goal:
16         (a) The Department, the minor, or the current foster
17     parent or relative caregiver seeking private guardianship
18     may file a motion for private guardianship of the minor.
19     Appointment of a guardian under this Section requires
20     approval of the court.
21         (b) The State's Attorney may file a motion to terminate
22     parental rights of any parent who has failed to make
23     reasonable efforts to correct the conditions which led to
24     the removal of the child or reasonable progress toward the
25     return of the child, as defined in subdivision (D)(m) of
26     Section 1 of the Adoption Act or for whom any other

 

 

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1     unfitness ground for terminating parental rights as
2     defined in subdivision (D) of Section 1 of the Adoption Act
3     exists.
4         When parental rights have been terminated for a minimum
5     of 3 years and the child who is the subject of the
6     permanency hearing is 13 years old or older and is not
7     currently placed in a placement likely to achieve
8     permanency, the Department of Children and Family Services
9     shall make reasonable efforts to locate parents whose
10     rights have been terminated, except when the Court
11     determines that those efforts would be futile or
12     inconsistent with the subject child's best interests. The
13     Department of Children and Family Services shall assess the
14     appropriateness of the parent whose rights have been
15     terminated, and shall, as appropriate, foster and support
16     connections between the parent whose rights have been
17     terminated and the youth. The Department of Children and
18     Family Services shall document its determinations and
19     efforts to foster connections in the child's case plan.
20     Custody of the minor shall not be restored to any parent,
21 guardian or legal custodian in any case in which the minor is
22 found to be neglected or abused under Section 2-3 or dependent
23 under Section 2-4 of this Act, unless the minor can be cared
24 for at home without endangering his or her health or safety and
25 it is in the best interest of the minor, and if such neglect,
26 abuse, or dependency is found by the court under paragraph (1)

 

 

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1 of Section 2-21 of this Act to have come about due to the acts
2 or omissions or both of such parent, guardian or legal
3 custodian, until such time as an investigation is made as
4 provided in paragraph (5) and a hearing is held on the issue of
5 the health, safety and best interest of the minor and the
6 fitness of such parent, guardian or legal custodian to care for
7 the minor and the court enters an order that such parent,
8 guardian or legal custodian is fit to care for the minor. In
9 the event that the minor has attained 18 years of age and the
10 guardian or custodian petitions the court for an order
11 terminating his guardianship or custody, guardianship or
12 custody shall terminate automatically 30 days after the receipt
13 of the petition unless the court orders otherwise. No legal
14 custodian or guardian of the person may be removed without his
15 consent until given notice and an opportunity to be heard by
16 the court.
17     When the court orders a child restored to the custody of
18 the parent or parents, the court shall order the parent or
19 parents to cooperate with the Department of Children and Family
20 Services and comply with the terms of an after-care plan, or
21 risk the loss of custody of the child and possible termination
22 of their parental rights. The court may also enter an order of
23 protective supervision in accordance with Section 2-24.
24     (5) Whenever a parent, guardian, or legal custodian files a
25 motion for restoration of custody of the minor, and the minor
26 was adjudicated neglected, abused, or dependent as a result of

 

 

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1 physical abuse, the court shall cause to be made an
2 investigation as to whether the movant has ever been charged
3 with or convicted of any criminal offense which would indicate
4 the likelihood of any further physical abuse to the minor.
5 Evidence of such criminal convictions shall be taken into
6 account in determining whether the minor can be cared for at
7 home without endangering his or her health or safety and
8 fitness of the parent, guardian, or legal custodian.
9         (a) Any agency of this State or any subdivision thereof
10     shall co-operate with the agent of the court in providing
11     any information sought in the investigation.
12         (b) The information derived from the investigation and
13     any conclusions or recommendations derived from the
14     information shall be provided to the parent, guardian, or
15     legal custodian seeking restoration of custody prior to the
16     hearing on fitness and the movant shall have an opportunity
17     at the hearing to refute the information or contest its
18     significance.
19         (c) All information obtained from any investigation
20     shall be confidential as provided in Section 5-150 of this
21     Act.
22 (Source: P.A. 95-10, eff. 6-30-07; 95-182, eff. 8-14-07;
23 95-876, eff. 8-21-08; 96-600, eff. 8-21-09.)
 
24     (705 ILCS 405/2-34)
25     (Section scheduled to be repealed on August 21, 2013)

 

 

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1     Sec. 2-34. Motion to reinstate parental rights.
2     (1) For purposes of this subsection (1), the term "parent"
3 refers to the person or persons whose rights were terminated as
4 described in paragraph (a) of this subsection; and the term
5 "minor" means a person under the age of 21 years subject to
6 this Act for whom the Department of Children and Family
7 Services Guardianship Administrator is appointed the temporary
8 custodian or guardian.
9     A motion to reinstate parental rights may be filed only by
10 the Department of Children and Family Services regarding any
11 minor who is presently a ward of the court under Article II of
12 this Act when all the conditions set out in paragraphs (a),
13 (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) of this subsection (1) are
14 met:
15         (a) while the minor was under the jurisdiction of the
16     court under Article II of this Act, the minor's parent or
17     parents surrendered the minor for adoption to an agency
18     legally authorized to place children for adoption, or the
19     minor's parent or parents consented to his or her adoption,
20     or the minor's parent or parents consented to his or her
21     adoption by a specified person or persons, or the parent or
22     parents' rights were terminated pursuant to a finding of
23     unfitness pursuant to Section 2-29 of this Act and a
24     guardian was appointed with the power to consent to
25     adoption pursuant to Section 2-29 of this Act; and
26         (b) (i) since the signing of the surrender, the signing

 

 

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1     of the consent, or the unfitness finding, the minor has
2     remained a ward of the Court under Article II of this Act;
3     or
4             (ii) the minor was made a ward of the Court, the
5         minor was placed in the private guardianship of an
6         individual or individuals, and after the appointment
7         of a private guardian and a new petition alleging
8         abuse, neglect, or dependency pursuant to Section 2-3
9         or 2-4 is filed, and the minor is again found by the
10         court to be abused, neglected or dependent; or a
11         supplemental petition to reinstate wardship is filed
12         pursuant to Section 2-33, and the court reinstates
13         wardship , the minor was again brought to the attention
14         of the Juvenile Court and the private guardianship was
15         vacated; or
16             (iii) the minor was made a ward of the Court,
17         wardship was terminated after the minor was adopted,
18         after the adoption a new petition alleging abuse,
19         neglect, or dependency pursuant to Section 2-3 or 2-4
20         is filed, and the minor is again found by the court to
21         be abused, neglected, or dependent the minor was again
22         brought to the attention of the Juvenile Court and made
23         a ward of the Court under Article II of this Act, and
24         either (i) the adoptive parent or parents are deceased,
25         (ii) the adoptive parent or parents signed a surrender
26         of parental rights, or (iii) the parental rights of the

 

 

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1         adoptive parent or parents were terminated;
2         (c) the minor is not currently in a placement likely to
3     achieve permanency;
4         (d) it is in the minor's best interest that parental
5     rights be reinstated;
6         (e) the parent named in the motion wishes parental
7     rights to be reinstated and is currently appropriate to
8     have rights reinstated;
9         (f) more than 3 years have lapsed since the signing of
10     the consent or surrender, or the entry of the order
11     appointing a guardian with the power to consent to
12     adoption;
13         (g) (i) the child is 13 years of age or older or (ii)
14     the child is the younger sibling of such child, 13 years of
15     age or older, for whom reinstatement of parental rights is
16     being sought and the younger sibling independently meets
17     the criteria set forth in paragraphs (a) through (h) of
18     this subsection; and
19         (h) if the court has previously denied a motion to
20     reinstate parental rights filed by the Department, there
21     has been a substantial change in circumstances following
22     the denial of the earlier motion.
23     (2) The motion may be filed only by the Department of
24 Children and Family Services. Unless excused by the court for
25 good cause shown, the movant shall give notice of the time and
26 place of the hearing on the motion, in person or by mail, to

 

 

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1 the parties to the juvenile court proceeding. Notice shall be
2 provided at least 14 days in advance of the hearing date. The
3 motion shall include the allegations required in subsection (1)
4 of this Section.
5     (3) Any party may file a motion to dismiss the motion with
6 prejudice on the basis that the parent has intentionally acted
7 to prevent the child from being adopted, after parental rights
8 were terminated or the parent intentionally acted to disrupt
9 the child's adoption. If the court finds by a preponderance of
10 the evidence that the parent has intentionally acted to prevent
11 the child from being adopted, after parental rights were
12 terminated or that the parent intentionally acted to disrupt
13 the child's adoption, the court shall dismiss the petition with
14 prejudice.
15     (4) The court shall not grant a motion for reinstatement of
16 parental rights unless the court finds that the motion is
17 supported by clear and convincing evidence. In ruling on a
18 motion to reinstate parental rights, the court shall make
19 findings consistent with the requirements in subsection (1) of
20 this Section. The court shall consider the reasons why the
21 child was initially brought to the attention of the court, the
22 history of the child's case as it relates to the parent seeking
23 reinstatement, and the current circumstances of the parent for
24 whom reinstatement of rights is sought. If reinstatement is
25 being considered subsequent to a finding of unfitness pursuant
26 to Section 2-29 of this Act having been entered with respect to

 

 

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1 the parent whose rights are being restored, the court in
2 determining the minor's best interest shall consider, in
3 addition to the factors set forth in paragraph (4.05) of
4 Section 1-3 of this Act, the specific grounds upon which the
5 unfitness findings were made. Upon the entry of an order
6 granting a motion to reinstate parental rights, parental rights
7 of the parent named in the order shall be reinstated, any
8 previous order appointing a guardian with the power to consent
9 to adoption shall be void and with respect to the parent named
10 in the order, any consent shall be void.
11     (5) If the case is post-disposition, the court, upon the
12 entry of an order granting a motion to reinstate parental
13 rights, shall schedule the matter for a permanency hearing
14 pursuant to Section 2-28 of this Act within 45 days.
15     (6) Custody of the minor shall not be restored to the
16 parent, except by order of court pursuant to subsection (4) of
17 Section 2-28 of this Act.
18     (7) In any case involving a child over the age of 13 who
19 meets the criteria established in this Section for
20 reinstatement of parental rights, the Department of Children
21 and Family Services shall conduct an assessment of the child's
22 circumstances to assist in future planning for the child,
23 including, but not limited to a determination regarding the
24 appropriateness of filing a motion to reinstate parental
25 rights.
26     (8) This Section is repealed 4 years after the effective

 

 

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1 date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly.
2 (Source: P.A. 96-600, eff. 8-21-09.)
 
3     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
4 becoming law.