Cosponsors:
Representatives Blair, Thompson, Mallory, Strahorn, Grossman, Reece, Milkovich, Stebelton, Stinziano, Fedor, Butler, Pillich, Adams, R., Amstutz, Anielski, Antonio, Ashford, Baker, Barborak, Barnes, Beck, Bishoff, Blessing, Boyce, Brown, Buchy, Burkley, Carney, Cera, Conditt, Damschroder, Driehaus, Green, Hagan, C., Hall, Hayes, Heard, Huffman, Johnson, Letson, McClain, O'Brien, Patmon, Patterson, Perales, Ramos, Retherford, Rogers, Rosenberger, Sears, Sheehy, Slesnick, Smith, Sprague, Wachtmann Speaker Batchelder
Senators Coley, Kearney, Brown, Beagle, Burke, Eklund, Hite, Hughes, Jones, LaRose, Manning, Oelslager, Patton, Schaffer, Seitz, Skindell, Smith, Tavares, Turner, Uecker, Widener
(B)(1) TheExcept as provided in division (K) of this | 46 |
section, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem, subject to | 47 |
rules adopted by the supreme court, to protect the interest of a | 48 |
child in any proceeding concerning an alleged abused or neglected | 49 |
child and in any proceeding held pursuant to section 2151.414 of | 50 |
the Revised Code. The guardian ad litem so appointed shall not be | 51 |
the attorney responsible for presenting the evidence alleging that | 52 |
the child is an abused or neglected child and shall not be an | 53 |
employee of any party in the proceeding. | 54 |
(4) The guardian ad litem appointed for an alleged or | 75 |
adjudicated abused or neglected child may bring a civil action | 76 |
against any person who is required by division (A)(1) or (4) of | 77 |
section 2151.421 of the Revised Code to file a report of child | 78 |
abuse or child neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or | 79 |
believed to have occurred if that person knows, or has reasonable | 80 |
cause to suspect or believe based on facts that would cause a | 81 |
reasonable person in a similar position to suspect or believe, as | 82 |
applicable, that the child for whom the guardian ad litem is | 83 |
appointed is the subject of child abuse or child neglect and does | 84 |
not file the required report and if the child suffers any injury | 85 |
or harm as a result of the child abuse or child neglect that is | 86 |
known or reasonably suspected or believed to have occurred or | 87 |
suffers additional injury or harm after the failure to file the | 88 |
report. | 89 |
(D) The court shall require the guardian ad litem to | 95 |
faithfully discharge the guardian ad litem's duties and, upon the | 96 |
guardian ad litem's failure to faithfully discharge the guardian | 97 |
ad litem's duties, shall discharge the guardian ad litem and | 98 |
appoint another guardian ad litem. The court may fix the | 99 |
compensation for the service of the guardian ad litem, which | 100 |
compensation shall be paid from the treasury of the county, | 101 |
subject to rules adopted by the supreme court. | 102 |
(G) InExcept as provided in division (K) of this section, in | 113 |
any case involvingin which a guardian ad litem is to be appointed | 114 |
for an alleged or adjudicated abused
or, neglected, or dependent | 115 |
child or in any case involving an agreement for the voluntary | 116 |
surrender of temporary or permanent custody of a child that is | 117 |
made in accordance with section 5103.15 of the Revised Code, the | 118 |
court shall appoint the guardian ad litem in each case as soon as | 119 |
possible after the complaint is filed, the request for an | 120 |
extension of the temporary custody agreement is filed with the | 121 |
court, or the request for court approval of the permanent custody | 122 |
agreement is filed. In any case involving an alleged dependent | 123 |
child in which the parent of the child appears to be mentally | 124 |
incompetent or is under eighteen years of age, there is a conflict | 125 |
of interest between the child and the child's parents, guardian, | 126 |
or custodian, or the court believes that the parent of the child | 127 |
is not capable of representing the best interest of the child, the | 128 |
court shall appoint a guardian ad litem for the child. The | 129 |
guardian ad litem or the guardian ad litem's replacement shall | 130 |
continue to serve until any of the following occur: | 131 |
If a guardian ad litem ceases to serve a child pursuant to | 149 |
division (G)(4) of this section and the petition for adoption with | 150 |
respect to the child is denied or withdrawn prior to the issuance | 151 |
of a final decree of adoption or prior to the date an | 152 |
interlocutory order of adoption becomes final, the juvenile court | 153 |
shall reappoint a guardian ad litem for that child. The public | 154 |
children services agency or private child placing agency with | 155 |
permanent custody of the child shall notify the juvenile court if | 156 |
the petition for adoption is denied or withdrawn. | 157 |
(H) If the guardian ad litem for an alleged or adjudicated | 158 |
abused, neglected, or dependent child is an attorney admitted to | 159 |
the practice of law in this state, the guardian ad litem also may | 160 |
serve as counsel to the ward. Until the supreme court adopts rules | 161 |
regarding service as a guardian ad litem that regulate conflicts | 162 |
between a person's role as guardian ad litem and as counsel, if a | 163 |
person is serving as guardian ad litem and counsel for a child and | 164 |
either that person or the court finds that a conflict may exist | 165 |
between the person's roles as guardian ad litem and as counsel, | 166 |
the court shall relieve the person of duties as guardian ad litem | 167 |
and appoint someone else as guardian ad litem for the child. If | 168 |
the court appoints a person who is not an attorney admitted to the | 169 |
practice of law in this state to be a guardian ad litem, the court | 170 |
also may appoint an attorney admitted to the practice of law in | 171 |
this state to serve as counsel for the guardian ad litem. | 172 |
(I) The guardian ad litem for an alleged or adjudicated | 173 |
abused, neglected, or dependent child shall perform whatever | 174 |
functions are necessary to protect the best interest of the child, | 175 |
including, but not limited to, investigation, mediation, | 176 |
monitoring court proceedings, and monitoring the services provided | 177 |
the child by the public children services agency or private child | 178 |
placing agency that has temporary or permanent custody of the | 179 |
child, and shall file any motions and other court papers that are | 180 |
in the best interest of the child in accordance with rules adopted | 181 |
by the supreme court. | 182 |
(D) A person or facility that provides out-of-home care to an | 227 |
alleged or adjudicated abused, neglected, or dependent child shall | 228 |
be immune from liability in a civil action to recover damages for | 229 |
injury, death, or loss to person or property caused to the child | 230 |
who participates in an extracurricular, enrichment, or social | 231 |
activity approved by the person or facility provided that the | 232 |
person or facility considered the factors described in division | 233 |
(C) of this section. | 234 |
(3) Award legal custody of the child to either parent or to | 244 |
any other person who, prior to the dispositional hearing, files a | 245 |
motion requesting legal custody of the child or is identified as a | 246 |
proposed legal custodian in a complaint or motion filed prior to | 247 |
the dispositional hearing by any party to the proceedings. A | 248 |
person identified in a complaint or motion filed by a party to the | 249 |
proceedings as a proposed legal custodian shall be awarded legal | 250 |
custody of the child only if the person identified signs a | 251 |
statement of understanding for legal custody that contains at | 252 |
least the following provisions: | 253 |
(b) That the person understands that legal custody of the | 257 |
child in question is intended to be permanent in nature and that | 258 |
the person will be responsible as the custodian for the child | 259 |
until the child reaches the age of majority. Responsibility as | 260 |
custodian for the child shall continue beyond the age of majority | 261 |
if, at the time the child reaches the age of majority, the child | 262 |
is pursuing a diploma granted by the board of education or other | 263 |
governing authority, successful completion of the curriculum of | 264 |
any high school, successful completion of an individualized | 265 |
education program developed for the student by any high school, or | 266 |
an age and schooling certificate. Responsibility beyond the age of | 267 |
majority shall terminate when the child ceases to continuously | 268 |
pursue such an education, completes such an education, or is | 269 |
excused from such an education under standards adopted by the | 270 |
state board of education, whichever occurs first. | 271 |
(4) Commit the child to the permanent custody of a public | 283 |
children services agency or private child placing agency, if the | 284 |
court determines in accordance with division (E) of section | 285 |
2151.414 of the Revised Code that the child cannot be placed with | 286 |
one of the child's parents within a reasonable time or should not | 287 |
be placed with either parent and determines in accordance with | 288 |
division (D)(1) of section 2151.414 of the Revised Code that the | 289 |
permanent commitment is in the best interest of the child. If the | 290 |
court grants permanent custody under this division, the court, | 291 |
upon the request of any party, shall file a written opinion | 292 |
setting forth its findings of fact and conclusions of law in | 293 |
relation to the proceeding. | 294 |
(b) The child is sixteen years of age or older, the parents | 308 |
of the child have significant physical, mental, or psychological | 309 |
problems and are unable to care for the child because of those | 310 |
problems, adoption is not in the best interest of the child, as | 311 |
determined in accordance with division (D)(1) of section 2151.414 | 312 |
of the Revised Code, and the child retains a significant and | 313 |
positive relationship with a parent or relative. | 314 |
(6) Order the removal from the child's home until further | 320 |
order of the court of the person who committed abuse as described | 321 |
in section 2151.031 of the Revised Code against the child, who | 322 |
caused or allowed the child to suffer neglect as described in | 323 |
section 2151.03 of the Revised Code, or who is the parent, | 324 |
guardian, or custodian of a child who is adjudicated a dependent | 325 |
child and order any person not to have contact with the child or | 326 |
the child's siblings. | 327 |
(B)(1) When making a determination on whether to place a | 328 |
child in a planned permanent living arrangement pursuant to | 329 |
division (A)(5)(b) or (c) of this section, the court shall | 330 |
consider all relevant information that has been presented to the | 331 |
court, including information gathered from the child, the child's | 332 |
guardian ad litem, and the public children services agency or | 333 |
private child placing agency.
| 334 |
(C) No order for permanent custody or temporary custody of a | 357 |
child or the placement of a child in a planned permanent living | 358 |
arrangement shall be made pursuant to this section unless the | 359 |
complaint alleging the abuse, neglect, or dependency contains a | 360 |
prayer requesting permanent custody, temporary custody, or the | 361 |
placement of the child in a planned permanent living arrangement | 362 |
as desired, the summons served on the parents of the child | 363 |
contains as is appropriate a full explanation that the granting of | 364 |
an order for permanent custody permanently divests them of their | 365 |
parental rights, a full explanation that an adjudication that the | 366 |
child is an abused, neglected, or dependent child may result in an | 367 |
order of temporary custody that will cause the removal of the | 368 |
child from their legal custody until the court terminates the | 369 |
order of temporary custody or permanently divests the parents of | 370 |
their parental rights, or a full explanation that the granting of | 371 |
an order for a planned permanent living arrangement will result in | 372 |
the removal of the child from their legal custody if any of the | 373 |
conditions listed in divisions (A)(5)(a) to (c) of this section | 374 |
are found to exist, and the summons served on the parents contains | 375 |
a full explanation of their right to be represented by counsel and | 376 |
to have counsel appointed pursuant to Chapter 120. of the Revised | 377 |
Code if they are indigent. | 378 |
(E)(F)(1) The court shall retain jurisdiction over any child | 402 |
for whom the court issues an order of disposition pursuant to | 403 |
division (A) of this section or pursuant to section 2151.414 or | 404 |
2151.415 of the Revised Code until the child attains the age of | 405 |
eighteen years if the child is not mentally retarded, | 406 |
developmentally disabled, or physically impaired, the child | 407 |
attains the age of twenty-one years if the child is mentally | 408 |
retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired, or the | 409 |
child is adopted and a final decree of adoption is issued, except | 410 |
that the court may retain jurisdiction over the child and continue | 411 |
any order of disposition under division (A) of this section or | 412 |
under section 2151.414 or 2151.415 of the Revised Code for a | 413 |
specified period of time to enable the child to graduate from high | 414 |
school or vocational school. The court shall make an entry | 415 |
continuing its jurisdiction under this division in the journal. | 416 |
(2) Any public children services agency, any private child | 417 |
placing agency, the department of job and family services, or any | 418 |
party, other than any parent whose parental rights with respect to | 419 |
the child have been terminated pursuant to an order issued under | 420 |
division (A)(4) of this section, by filing a motion with the | 421 |
court, may at any time request the court to modify or terminate | 422 |
any order of disposition issued pursuant to division (A) of this | 423 |
section or section 2151.414 or 2151.415 of the Revised Code. The | 424 |
court shall hold a hearing upon the motion as if the hearing were | 425 |
the original dispositional hearing and shall give all parties to | 426 |
the action and the guardian ad litem notice of the hearing | 427 |
pursuant to the Juvenile Rules. If applicable, the court shall | 428 |
comply with section 2151.42 of the Revised Code. | 429 |
(F)(G) Any temporary custody order issued pursuant to | 430 |
division (A) of this section shall terminate one year after the | 431 |
earlier of the date on which the complaint in the case was filed | 432 |
or the child was first placed into shelter care, except that, upon | 433 |
the filing of a motion pursuant to section 2151.415 of the Revised | 434 |
Code, the temporary custody order shall continue and not terminate | 435 |
until the court issues a dispositional order under that section. | 436 |
In resolving the motion, the court shall not order an existing | 437 |
temporary custody order to continue beyond two years after the | 438 |
date on which the complaint was filed or the child was first | 439 |
placed into shelter care, whichever date is earlier, regardless of | 440 |
whether any extensions have been previously ordered pursuant to | 441 |
division (D) of section 2151.415 of the Revised Code. | 442 |
(G)(H)(1) No later than one year after the earlier of the | 443 |
date the complaint in the case was filed or the child was first | 444 |
placed in shelter care, a party may ask the court to extend an | 445 |
order for protective supervision for six months or to terminate | 446 |
the order. A party requesting extension or termination of the | 447 |
order shall file a written request for the extension or | 448 |
termination with the court and give notice of the proposed | 449 |
extension or termination in writing before the end of the day | 450 |
after the day of filing it to all parties and the child's guardian | 451 |
ad litem. If a public children services agency or private child | 452 |
placing agency requests termination of the order, the agency shall | 453 |
file a written status report setting out the facts supporting | 454 |
termination of the order at the time it files the request with the | 455 |
court. If no party requests extension or termination of the order, | 456 |
the court shall notify the parties that the court will extend the | 457 |
order for six months or terminate it and that it may do so without | 458 |
a hearing unless one of the parties requests a hearing. All | 459 |
parties and the guardian ad litem shall have seven days from the | 460 |
date a notice is sent pursuant to this division to object to and | 461 |
request a hearing on the proposed extension or termination. | 462 |
(a) If it receives a timely request for a hearing, the court | 463 |
shall schedule a hearing to be held no later than thirty days | 464 |
after the request is received by the court. The court shall give | 465 |
notice of the date, time, and location of the hearing to all | 466 |
parties and the guardian ad litem. At the hearing, the court shall | 467 |
determine whether extension or termination of the order is in the | 468 |
child's best interest. If termination is in the child's best | 469 |
interest, the court shall terminate the order. If extension is in | 470 |
the child's best interest, the court shall extend the order for | 471 |
six months. | 472 |
(b) If it does not receive a timely request for a hearing, | 473 |
the court may extend the order for six months or terminate it | 474 |
without a hearing and shall journalize the order of extension or | 475 |
termination not later than fourteen days after receiving the | 476 |
request for extension or termination or after the date the court | 477 |
notifies the parties that it will extend or terminate the order. | 478 |
If the court does not extend or terminate the order, it shall | 479 |
schedule a hearing to be held no later than thirty days after the | 480 |
expiration of the applicable fourteen-day time period and give | 481 |
notice of the date, time, and location of the hearing to all | 482 |
parties and the child's guardian ad litem. At the hearing, the | 483 |
court shall determine whether extension or termination of the | 484 |
order is in the child's best interest. If termination is in the | 485 |
child's best interest, the court shall terminate the order. If | 486 |
extension is in the child's best interest, the court shall issue | 487 |
an order extending the order for protective supervision six | 488 |
months. | 489 |
Sec. 2151.414. (A)(1) Upon the filing of a motion pursuant | 531 |
to section 2151.413 of the Revised Code for permanent custody of a | 532 |
child, the court shall schedule a hearing and give notice of the | 533 |
filing of the motion and of the hearing, in accordance with | 534 |
section 2151.29 of the Revised Code, to all parties to the action | 535 |
and to the child's guardian ad litem. The notice also shall | 536 |
contain a full explanation that the granting of permanent custody | 537 |
permanently divests the parents of their parental rights, a full | 538 |
explanation of their right to be represented by counsel and to | 539 |
have counsel appointed pursuant to Chapter 120. of the Revised | 540 |
Code if they are indigent, and the name and telephone number of | 541 |
the court employee designated by the court pursuant to section | 542 |
2151.314 of the Revised Code to arrange for the prompt appointment | 543 |
of counsel for indigent persons. | 544 |
The court shall conduct a hearing in accordance with section | 545 |
2151.35 of the Revised Code to determine if it is in the best | 546 |
interest of the child to permanently terminate parental rights and | 547 |
grant permanent custody to the agency that filed the motion. The | 548 |
adjudication that the child is an abused, neglected, or dependent | 549 |
child and any dispositional order that has been issued in the case | 550 |
under section 2151.353 of the Revised Code pursuant to the | 551 |
adjudication shall not be readjudicated at the hearing and shall | 552 |
not be affected by a denial of the motion for permanent custody. | 553 |
(2) The court shall hold the hearing scheduled pursuant to | 554 |
division (A)(1) of this section not later than one hundred twenty | 555 |
days after the agency files the motion for permanent custody, | 556 |
except that, for good cause shown, the court may continue the | 557 |
hearing for a reasonable period of time beyond the | 558 |
one-hundred-twenty-day deadline. The court shall issue an order | 559 |
that grants, denies, or otherwise disposes of the motion for | 560 |
permanent custody, and journalize the order, not later than two | 561 |
hundred days after the agency files the motion. | 562 |
If a motion is made under division (D)(2) of section 2151.413 | 563 |
of the Revised Code and no dispositional hearing has been held in | 564 |
the case, the court may hear the motion in the dispositional | 565 |
hearing required by division (B) of section 2151.35 of the Revised | 566 |
Code. If the court issues an order pursuant to section 2151.353 of | 567 |
the Revised Code granting permanent custody of the child to the | 568 |
agency, the court shall immediately dismiss the motion made under | 569 |
division (D)(2) of section 2151.413 of the Revised Code. | 570 |
(a) The child is not abandoned or orphaned, has not been in | 583 |
the temporary custody of one or more public children services | 584 |
agencies or private child placing agencies for twelve or more | 585 |
months of a consecutive twenty-two-month period, or has not been | 586 |
in the temporary custody of one or more public children services | 587 |
agencies or private child placing agencies for twelve or more | 588 |
months of a consecutive twenty-two-month period if, as described | 589 |
in division (D)(1) of section 2151.413 of the Revised Code, the | 590 |
child was previously in the temporary custody of an equivalent | 591 |
agency in another state, and the child cannot be placed with | 592 |
either of the child's parents within a reasonable time or should | 593 |
not be placed with the child's parents. | 594 |
(d) The child has been in the temporary custody of one or | 598 |
more public children services agencies or private child placing | 599 |
agencies for twelve or more months of a consecutive | 600 |
twenty-two-month period, or the child has been in the temporary | 601 |
custody of one or more public children services agencies or | 602 |
private child placing agencies for twelve or more months of a | 603 |
consecutive twenty-two-month period and, as described in division | 604 |
(D)(1) of section 2151.413 of the Revised Code, the child was | 605 |
previously in the temporary custody of an equivalent agency in | 606 |
another state. | 607 |
(2) With respect to a motion made pursuant to division (D)(2) | 617 |
of section 2151.413 of the Revised Code, the court shall grant | 618 |
permanent custody of the child to the movant if the court | 619 |
determines in accordance with division (E) of this section that | 620 |
the child cannot be placed with one of the child's parents within | 621 |
a reasonable time or should not be placed with either parent and | 622 |
determines in accordance with division (D) of this section that | 623 |
permanent custody is in the child's best interest. | 624 |
(C) In making the determinations required by this section or | 625 |
division (A)(4) of section 2151.353 of the Revised Code, a court | 626 |
shall not consider the effect the granting of permanent custody to | 627 |
the agency would have upon any parent of the child. A written | 628 |
report of the guardian ad litem of the child shall be submitted to | 629 |
the court prior to or at the time of the hearing held pursuant to | 630 |
division (A) of this section or section 2151.35 of the Revised | 631 |
Code but shall not be submitted under oath. | 632 |
(c) The custodial history of the child, including whether the | 653 |
child has been in the temporary custody of one or more public | 654 |
children services agencies or private child placing agencies for | 655 |
twelve or more months of a consecutive twenty-two-month period, or | 656 |
the child has been in the temporary custody of one or more public | 657 |
children services agencies or private child placing agencies for | 658 |
twelve or more months of a consecutive twenty-two-month period | 659 |
and, as described in division (D)(1) of section 2151.413 of the | 660 |
Revised Code, the child was previously in the temporary custody of | 661 |
an equivalent agency in another state; | 662 |
(E) In determining at a hearing held pursuant to division (A) | 691 |
of this section or for the purposes of division (A)(4) of section | 692 |
2151.353 of the Revised Code whether a child cannot be placed with | 693 |
either parent within a reasonable period of time or should not be | 694 |
placed with the parents, the court shall consider all relevant | 695 |
evidence. If the court determines, by clear and convincing | 696 |
evidence, at a hearing held pursuant to division (A) of this | 697 |
section or for the purposes of division (A)(4) of section 2151.353 | 698 |
of the Revised Code that one or more of the following exist as to | 699 |
each of the child's parents, the court shall enter a finding that | 700 |
the child cannot be placed with either parent within a reasonable | 701 |
time or should not be placed with either parent: | 702 |
(1) Following the placement of the child outside the child's | 703 |
home and notwithstanding reasonable case planning and diligent | 704 |
efforts by the agency to assist the parents to remedy the problems | 705 |
that initially caused the child to be placed outside the home, the | 706 |
parent has failed continuously and repeatedly to substantially | 707 |
remedy the conditions causing the child to be placed outside the | 708 |
child's home. In determining whether the parents have | 709 |
substantially remedied those conditions, the court shall consider | 710 |
parental utilization of medical, psychiatric, psychological, and | 711 |
other social and rehabilitative services and material resources | 712 |
that were made available to the parents for the purpose of | 713 |
changing parental conduct to allow them to resume and maintain | 714 |
parental duties. | 715 |
(2) Chronic mental illness, chronic emotional illness, mental | 716 |
retardation, physical disability, or chemical dependency of the | 717 |
parent that is so severe that it makes the parent unable to | 718 |
provide an adequate permanent home for the child at the present | 719 |
time and, as anticipated, within one year after the court holds | 720 |
the hearing pursuant to division (A) of this section or for the | 721 |
purposes of division (A)(4) of section 2151.353 of the Revised | 722 |
Code; | 723 |
(6) The parent has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to an | 737 |
offense under division (A) or (C) of section 2919.22 or under | 738 |
section 2903.16, 2903.21, 2903.34, 2905.01, 2905.02, 2905.03, | 739 |
2905.04, 2905.05, 2907.07, 2907.08, 2907.09, 2907.12, 2907.21, | 740 |
2907.22, 2907.23, 2907.25, 2907.31, 2907.32, 2907.321, 2907.322, | 741 |
2907.323, 2911.01, 2911.02, 2911.11, 2911.12, 2919.12, 2919.24, | 742 |
2919.25, 2923.12, 2923.13, 2923.161, 2925.02, or 3716.11 of the | 743 |
Revised Code and the child or a sibling of the child was a victim | 744 |
of the offense or the parent has been convicted of or pleaded | 745 |
guilty to an offense under section 2903.04 of the Revised Code, a | 746 |
sibling of the child was the victim of the offense, and the parent | 747 |
who committed the offense poses an ongoing danger to the child or | 748 |
a sibling of the child. | 749 |
(b) An offense under section 2903.11, 2903.12, or 2903.13 of | 759 |
the Revised Code or under an existing or former law of this state, | 760 |
any other state, or the United States that is substantially | 761 |
equivalent to an offense described in those sections and the | 762 |
victim of the offense is the child, a sibling of the child, or | 763 |
another child who lived in the parent's household at the time of | 764 |
the offense; | 765 |
(d) An offense under section 2907.02, 2907.03, 2907.04, | 772 |
2907.05, or 2907.06 of the Revised Code or under an existing or | 773 |
former law of this state, any other state, or the United States | 774 |
that is substantially equivalent to an offense described in those | 775 |
sections and the victim of the offense is the child, a sibling of | 776 |
the child, or another child who lived in the parent's household at | 777 |
the time of the offense; | 778 |
(11) The parent has had parental rights involuntarily | 798 |
terminated with respect to a sibling of the child pursuant to this | 799 |
section or section 2151.353 or 2151.415 of the Revised Code, or | 800 |
under an existing or former law of this state, any other state, or | 801 |
the United States that is substantially equivalent to those | 802 |
sections, and the parent has failed to provide clear and | 803 |
convincing evidence to prove that, notwithstanding the prior | 804 |
termination, the parent can provide a legally secure permanent | 805 |
placement and adequate care for the health, welfare, and safety of | 806 |
the child. | 807 |
Sec. 2151.415. (A) Except for cases in which a motion for | 834 |
permanent custody described in division (D)(1) of section 2151.413 | 835 |
of the Revised Code is required to be made, a public children | 836 |
services agency or private child placing agency that has been | 837 |
given temporary custody of a child pursuant to section 2151.353 of | 838 |
the Revised Code, not later than thirty days prior to the earlier | 839 |
of the date for the termination of the custody order pursuant to | 840 |
division (G)(H) of section 2151.353 of the Revised Code or the | 841 |
date set at the dispositional hearing for the hearing to be held | 842 |
pursuant to this section, shall file a motion with the court that | 843 |
issued the order of disposition requesting that any of the | 844 |
following orders of disposition of the child be issued by the | 845 |
court: | 846 |
(B) Upon the filing of a motion pursuant to division (A) of | 859 |
this section, the court shall hold a dispositional hearing on the | 860 |
date set at the dispositional hearing held pursuant to section | 861 |
2151.35 of the Revised Code, with notice to all parties to the | 862 |
action in accordance with the Juvenile Rules. After the | 863 |
dispositional hearing or at a date after the dispositional hearing | 864 |
that is not later than one year after the earlier of the date on | 865 |
which the complaint in the case was filed or the child was first | 866 |
placed into shelter care, the court, in accordance with the best | 867 |
interest of the child as supported by the evidence presented at | 868 |
the dispositional hearing, shall issue an order of disposition as | 869 |
set forth in division (A) of this section, except that all orders | 870 |
for permanent custody shall be made in accordance with sections | 871 |
2151.413 and 2151.414 of the Revised Code. In issuing an order of | 872 |
disposition under this section, the court shall comply with | 873 |
section 2151.42 of the Revised Code. | 874 |
(C)(1) If an agency pursuant to division (A) of this section | 875 |
requests the court to place a child into a planned permanent | 876 |
living arrangement, the agency shall present evidence to indicate | 877 |
why a planned permanent living arrangement is appropriate for the | 878 |
child, including, but not limited to, evidence that the agency has | 879 |
tried or considered all other possible dispositions for the child. | 880 |
A court shall not place a child in a planned permanent living | 881 |
arrangement, unless it finds, by clear and convincing evidence, | 882 |
that a planned permanent living arrangement is in the best | 883 |
interest of the child and that one of the following exists: | 884 |
(D)(1) If an agency pursuant to division (A) of this section | 907 |
requests the court to grant an extension of temporary custody for | 908 |
a period of up to six months, the agency shall include in the | 909 |
motion an explanation of the progress on the case plan of the | 910 |
child and of its expectations of reunifying the child with the | 911 |
child's family, or placing the child in a permanent placement, | 912 |
within the extension period. The court shall schedule a hearing on | 913 |
the motion, give notice of its date, time, and location to all | 914 |
parties and the guardian ad litem of the child, and at the hearing | 915 |
consider the evidence presented by the parties and the guardian ad | 916 |
litem. The court may extend the temporary custody order of the | 917 |
child for a period of up to six months, if it determines at the | 918 |
hearing, by clear and convincing evidence, that the extension is | 919 |
in the best interest of the child, there has been significant | 920 |
progress on the case plan of the child, and there is reasonable | 921 |
cause to believe that the child will be reunified with one of the | 922 |
parents or otherwise permanently placed within the period of | 923 |
extension. In determining whether to extend the temporary custody | 924 |
of the child pursuant to this division, the court shall comply | 925 |
with section 2151.42 of the Revised Code. If the court extends the | 926 |
temporary custody of the child pursuant to this division, upon | 927 |
request it shall issue findings of fact. | 928 |
(2) Prior to the end of the extension granted pursuant to | 929 |
division (D)(1) of this section, the agency that received the | 930 |
extension shall file a motion with the court requesting the | 931 |
issuance of one of the orders of disposition set forth in | 932 |
divisions (A)(1) to (5) of this section or requesting the court to | 933 |
extend the temporary custody order of the child for an additional | 934 |
period of up to six months. If the agency requests the issuance of | 935 |
an order of disposition under divisions (A)(1) to (5) of this | 936 |
section or does not file any motion prior to the expiration of the | 937 |
extension period, the court shall conduct a hearing in accordance | 938 |
with division (B) of this section and issue an appropriate order | 939 |
of disposition. In issuing an order of disposition, the court | 940 |
shall comply with section 2151.42 of the Revised Code. | 941 |
If the agency requests an additional extension of up to six | 942 |
months of the temporary custody order of the child, the court | 943 |
shall schedule and conduct a hearing in the manner set forth in | 944 |
division (D)(1) of this section. The court may extend the | 945 |
temporary custody order of the child for an additional period of | 946 |
up to six months if it determines at the hearing, by clear and | 947 |
convincing evidence, that the additional extension is in the best | 948 |
interest of the child, there has been substantial additional | 949 |
progress since the original extension of temporary custody in the | 950 |
case plan of the child, there has been substantial additional | 951 |
progress since the original extension of temporary custody toward | 952 |
reunifying the child with one of the parents or otherwise | 953 |
permanently placing the child, and there is reasonable cause to | 954 |
believe that the child will be reunified with one of the parents | 955 |
or otherwise placed in a permanent setting before the expiration | 956 |
of the additional extension period. In determining whether to | 957 |
grant an additional extension, the court shall comply with section | 958 |
2151.42 of the Revised Code. If the court extends the temporary | 959 |
custody of the child for an additional period pursuant to this | 960 |
division, upon request it shall issue findings of fact. | 961 |
(3) Prior to the end of the extension of a temporary custody | 962 |
order granted pursuant to division (D)(2) of this section, the | 963 |
agency that received the extension shall file a motion with the | 964 |
court requesting the issuance of one of the orders of disposition | 965 |
set forth in divisions (A)(1) to (5) of this section. Upon the | 966 |
filing of the motion by the agency or, if the agency does not file | 967 |
the motion prior to the expiration of the extension period, upon | 968 |
its own motion, the court, prior to the expiration of the | 969 |
extension period, shall conduct a hearing in accordance with | 970 |
division (B) of this section and issue an appropriate order of | 971 |
disposition. In issuing an order of disposition, the court shall | 972 |
comply with section 2151.42 of the Revised Code. | 973 |
(E) After the issuance of an order pursuant to division (B) | 982 |
of this section, the court shall retain jurisdiction over the | 983 |
child until the child attains the age of eighteen if the child is | 984 |
not mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically | 985 |
impaired, the child attains the age of twenty-one if the child is | 986 |
mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically | 987 |
impaired, or the child is adopted and a final decree of adoption | 988 |
is issued, unless the court's jurisdiction over the child is | 989 |
extended pursuant to division (E)(F) of section 2151.353 of the | 990 |
Revised Code. | 991 |
(F) The court, on its own motion or the motion of the agency | 992 |
or person with legal custody of the child, the child's guardian ad | 993 |
litem, or any other party to the action, may conduct a hearing | 994 |
with notice to all parties to determine whether any order issued | 995 |
pursuant to this section should be modified or terminated or | 996 |
whether any other dispositional order set forth in divisions | 997 |
(A)(1) to (5) of this section should be issued. After the hearing | 998 |
and consideration of all the evidence presented, the court, in | 999 |
accordance with the best interest of the child, may modify or | 1000 |
terminate any order issued pursuant to this section or issue any | 1001 |
dispositional order set forth in divisions (A)(1) to (5) of this | 1002 |
section. In rendering a decision under this division, the court | 1003 |
shall comply with section 2151.42 of the Revised Code. | 1004 |
(G) If the court places a child in a planned permanent living | 1005 |
arrangement with a public children services agency or a private | 1006 |
child placing agency pursuant to this section, the agency with | 1007 |
which the child is placed in a planned permanent living | 1008 |
arrangement shall not remove the child from the residential | 1009 |
placement in which the child is originally placed pursuant to the | 1010 |
case plan for the child or in which the child is placed with court | 1011 |
approval pursuant to this division, unless the court and the | 1012 |
guardian ad litem are given notice of the intended removal and the | 1013 |
court issues an order approving the removal or unless the removal | 1014 |
is necessary to protect the child from physical or emotional harm | 1015 |
and the agency gives the court notice of the removal and of the | 1016 |
reasons why the removal is necessary to protect the child from | 1017 |
physical or emotional harm immediately after the removal of the | 1018 |
child from the prior setting. | 1019 |
Sec. 2151.417. (A) Any court that issues a dispositional | 1036 |
order pursuant to section 2151.353, 2151.414, or 2151.415 of the | 1037 |
Revised Code may review at any time the child's placement or | 1038 |
custody arrangement, the case plan prepared for the child pursuant | 1039 |
to section 2151.412 of the Revised Code, the actions of the public | 1040 |
children services agency or private child placing agency in | 1041 |
implementing that case plan, the child's permanency plan if the | 1042 |
child's permanency plan has been approved, and any other aspects | 1043 |
of the child's placement or custody arrangement. In conducting the | 1044 |
review, the court shall determine the appropriateness of any | 1045 |
agency actions, the safety and appropriateness of continuing the | 1046 |
child's placement or custody arrangement, and whether any changes | 1047 |
should be made with respect to the child's permanency plan or | 1048 |
placement or custody arrangement or with respect to the actions of | 1049 |
the agency under the child's placement or custody arrangement. | 1050 |
Based upon the evidence presented at a hearing held after notice | 1051 |
to all parties and the guardian ad litem of the child, the court | 1052 |
may require the agency, the parents, guardian, or custodian of the | 1053 |
child, and the physical custodians of the child to take any | 1054 |
reasonable action that the court determines is necessary and in | 1055 |
the best interest of the child or to discontinue any action that | 1056 |
it determines is not in the best interest of the child. | 1057 |
(B) If a court issues a dispositional order pursuant to | 1058 |
section 2151.353, 2151.414, or 2151.415 of the Revised Code, the | 1059 |
court has continuing jurisdiction over the child as set forth in | 1060 |
division (E)(F)(1) of section 2151.353 of the Revised Code. The | 1061 |
court may amend a dispositional order in accordance with division | 1062 |
(E)(F)(2) of section 2151.353 of the Revised Code at any time upon | 1063 |
its own motion or upon the motion of any interested party. The | 1064 |
court shall comply with section 2151.42 of the Revised Code in | 1065 |
amending any dispositional order pursuant to this division. | 1066 |
(C) Any court that issues a dispositional order pursuant to | 1067 |
section 2151.353, 2151.414, or 2151.415 of the Revised Code shall | 1068 |
hold a review hearing one year after the earlier of the date on | 1069 |
which the complaint in the case was filed or the child was first | 1070 |
placed into shelter care to review the case plan prepared pursuant | 1071 |
to section 2151.412 of the Revised Code and the child's placement | 1072 |
or custody arrangement, to approve or review the permanency plan | 1073 |
for the child, and to make changes to the case plan and placement | 1074 |
or custody arrangement consistent with the permanency plan. The | 1075 |
court shall schedule the review hearing at the time that it holds | 1076 |
the dispositional hearing pursuant to section 2151.35 of the | 1077 |
Revised Code. | 1078 |
The court shall hold a similar review hearing no later than | 1079 |
every twelve months after the initial review hearing until the | 1080 |
child is adopted, returned to the parents, or the court otherwise | 1081 |
terminates the child's placement or custody arrangement, except | 1082 |
that the dispositional hearing held pursuant to section 2151.415 | 1083 |
of the Revised Code shall take the place of the first review | 1084 |
hearing to be held under this section. The court shall schedule | 1085 |
each subsequent review hearing at the conclusion of the review | 1086 |
hearing immediately preceding the review hearing to be scheduled. | 1087 |
(D) If, within fourteen days after a written summary of an | 1088 |
administrative review is filed with the court pursuant to section | 1089 |
2151.416 of the Revised Code, the court does not approve the | 1090 |
proposed change to the case plan filed pursuant to division (E) of | 1091 |
section 2151.416 of the Revised Code or a party or the guardian ad | 1092 |
litem requests a review hearing pursuant to division (E) of that | 1093 |
section, the court shall hold a review hearing in the same manner | 1094 |
that it holds review hearings pursuant to division (C) of this | 1095 |
section, except that if a review hearing is required by this | 1096 |
division and if a hearing is to be held pursuant to division (C) | 1097 |
of this section or section 2151.415 of the Revised Code, the | 1098 |
hearing held pursuant to division (C) of this section or section | 1099 |
2151.415 of the Revised Code shall take the place of the review | 1100 |
hearing required by this division. | 1101 |
(E) If a court determines pursuant to section 2151.419 of the | 1102 |
Revised Code that a public children services agency or private | 1103 |
child placing agency is not required to make reasonable efforts to | 1104 |
prevent the removal of a child from the child's home, eliminate | 1105 |
the continued removal of a child from the child's home, and return | 1106 |
the child to the child's home, and the court does not return the | 1107 |
child to the child's home pursuant to division (A)(3) of section | 1108 |
2151.419 of the Revised Code, the court shall hold a review | 1109 |
hearing to approve the permanency plan for the child and, if | 1110 |
appropriate, to make changes to the child's case plan and the | 1111 |
child's placement or custody arrangement consistent with the | 1112 |
permanency plan. The court may hold the hearing immediately | 1113 |
following the determination under section 2151.419 of the Revised | 1114 |
Code and shall hold it no later than thirty days after making that | 1115 |
determination. | 1116 |
(F) The court shall give notice of the review hearings held | 1117 |
pursuant to this section to every interested party, including, but | 1118 |
not limited to, the appropriate agency employees who are | 1119 |
responsible for the child's care and planning, the child's | 1120 |
parents, any person who had guardianship or legal custody of the | 1121 |
child prior to the custody order, the child's guardian ad litem, | 1122 |
and the child. The court shall summon every interested party to | 1123 |
appear at the review hearing and give them an opportunity to | 1124 |
testify and to present other evidence with respect to the child's | 1125 |
custody arrangement, including, but not limited to, the following: | 1126 |
the case plan for the child,; the permanency plan, if one exists; | 1127 |
the actions taken by the child's custodian; the need for a change | 1128 |
in the child's custodian or caseworker; and the need for any | 1129 |
specific action to be taken with respect to the child. The court | 1130 |
shall require any interested party to testify or present other | 1131 |
evidence when necessary to a proper determination of the issues | 1132 |
presented at the review hearing. In any review hearing that | 1133 |
pertains to a permanency plan for a child who will not be returned | 1134 |
to the parent, the court shall consider in-state and out-of-state | 1135 |
placement options and the court shall determine whether the | 1136 |
in-state or the out-of-state placement continues to be appropriate | 1137 |
and in the best interests of the child. In any review hearing that | 1138 |
pertains to a permanency plan for a child, the court or a citizens | 1139 |
board appointed by the court pursuant to division (H) of this | 1140 |
section shall consult with the child, in an age-appropriate | 1141 |
manner, regarding the proposed permanency plan for the child. | 1142 |
(2) If the hearing was held under division (C) or (E) of this | 1149 |
section, approve a permanency plan for the child that specifies | 1150 |
whether and, if applicable, when the child will be safely returned | 1151 |
home or placed for adoption, for legal custody, or in a planned | 1152 |
permanent living arrangement. A permanency plan approved after a | 1153 |
hearing under division (E) of this section shall not include any | 1154 |
provision requiring the child to be returned to the child's home. | 1155 |
(4) If the child is in permanent custody, determine what | 1171 |
actions are required by the custodial agency and of any other | 1172 |
organizations or persons in order to facilitate an adoption of the | 1173 |
child and make any appropriate orders with respect to the custody | 1174 |
arrangement or conditions of the child, including, but not limited | 1175 |
to, a transfer of permanent custody to another public children | 1176 |
services agency or private child placing agency; | 1177 |
(H) The court may appoint a referee or a citizens review | 1180 |
board to conduct the review hearings that the court is required by | 1181 |
this section to conduct, subject to the review and approval by the | 1182 |
court of any determinations made by the referee or citizens review | 1183 |
board. If the court appoints a citizens review board to conduct | 1184 |
the review hearings, the board shall consist of one member | 1185 |
representing the general public and four members who are trained | 1186 |
or experienced in the care or placement of children and have | 1187 |
training or experience in the fields of medicine, psychology, | 1188 |
social work, education, or any related field. Of the initial | 1189 |
appointments to the board, two shall be for a term of one year, | 1190 |
two shall be for a term of two years, and one shall be for a term | 1191 |
of three years, with all the terms ending one year after the date | 1192 |
on which the appointment was made. Thereafter, all terms of the | 1193 |
board members shall be for three years and shall end on the same | 1194 |
day of the same month of the year as did the term that they | 1195 |
succeed. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to | 1196 |
the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was | 1197 |
appointed shall hold office for the remainder of the term. | 1198 |
(K)(1) Whenever the court is required to approve a permanency | 1219 |
plan under this section or section 2151.415 of the Revised Code, | 1220 |
the public children services agency or private child placing | 1221 |
agency that filed the complaint in the case, has custody of the | 1222 |
child, or will be given custody of the child shall develop a | 1223 |
permanency plan for the child. The agency must file the plan with | 1224 |
the court prior to the hearing under this section or section | 1225 |
2151.415 of the Revised Code. | 1226 |
(2) The permanency plan developed by the agency must specify | 1227 |
whether and, if applicable, when the child will be safely returned | 1228 |
home or placed for adoption or legal custody. If the agency | 1229 |
determines that there is a compelling reason why returning the | 1230 |
child home or placing the child for adoption or legal custody is | 1231 |
not in the best interest of the child, the plan shall provide that | 1232 |
the child will be placed in a planned permanent living | 1233 |
arrangement. A permanency plan developed as a result of a | 1234 |
determination made under division (A)(2) of section 2151.419 of | 1235 |
the Revised Code may not include any provision requiring the child | 1236 |
to be returned home. | 1237 |
Sec. 2151.421. (A)(1)(a) No person described in division | 1238 |
(A)(1)(b) of this section who is acting in an official or | 1239 |
professional capacity and knows, or has reasonable cause to | 1240 |
suspect based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in a | 1241 |
similar position to suspect, that a child under eighteen years of | 1242 |
age or a mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or | 1243 |
physically impaired child under twenty-one years of age has | 1244 |
suffered or faces a threat of suffering any physical or mental | 1245 |
wound, injury, disability, or condition of a nature that | 1246 |
reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the child shall fail to | 1247 |
immediately report that knowledge or reasonable cause to suspect | 1248 |
to the entity or persons specified in this division. Except as | 1249 |
provided in section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, the person | 1250 |
making the report shall make it to the public children services | 1251 |
agency or a municipal or county peace officer in the county in | 1252 |
which the child resides or in which the abuse or neglect is | 1253 |
occurring or has occurred. In the circumstances described in | 1254 |
section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, the person making the report | 1255 |
shall make it to the entity specified in that section. | 1256 |
(b) Division (A)(1)(a) of this section applies to any person | 1257 |
who is an attorney; physician, including a hospital intern or | 1258 |
resident; dentist; podiatrist; practitioner of a limited branch of | 1259 |
medicine as specified in section 4731.15 of the Revised Code; | 1260 |
registered nurse; licensed practical nurse; visiting nurse; other | 1261 |
health care professional; licensed psychologist; licensed school | 1262 |
psychologist; independent marriage and family therapist or | 1263 |
marriage and family therapist; speech pathologist or audiologist; | 1264 |
coroner; administrator or employee of a child day-care center; | 1265 |
administrator or employee of a residential camp or child day camp; | 1266 |
administrator or employee of a certified child care agency or | 1267 |
other public or private children services agency; school teacher; | 1268 |
school employee; school authority; person engaged in social work | 1269 |
or the practice of professional counseling; agent of a county | 1270 |
humane society; person, other than a cleric, rendering spiritual | 1271 |
treatment through prayer in accordance with the tenets of a | 1272 |
well-recognized religion; employee of a county department of job | 1273 |
and family services who is a professional and who works with | 1274 |
children and families; superintendent, board member, or employee | 1275 |
of a county board of developmental disabilities; investigative | 1276 |
agent contracted with by a county board of developmental | 1277 |
disabilities; employee of the department of developmental | 1278 |
disabilities; employee of a facility or home that provides respite | 1279 |
care in accordance with section 5123.171 of the Revised Code; | 1280 |
employee of a home health agency; employee of an entity that | 1281 |
provides homemaker services; a person performing the duties of an | 1282 |
assessor pursuant to Chapter 3107. or 5103. of the Revised Code; | 1283 |
or third party employed by a public children services agency to | 1284 |
assist in providing child or family related services; court | 1285 |
appointed special advocate; or guardian ad litem. | 1286 |
(2) Except as provided in division (A)(3) of this section, an | 1287 |
attorney or a physician is not required to make a report pursuant | 1288 |
to division (A)(1) of this section concerning any communication | 1289 |
the attorney or physician receives from a client or patient in an | 1290 |
attorney-client or physician-patient relationship, if, in | 1291 |
accordance with division (A) or (B) of section 2317.02 of the | 1292 |
Revised Code, the attorney or physician could not testify with | 1293 |
respect to that communication in a civil or criminal proceeding. | 1294 |
(3) The client or patient in an attorney-client or | 1295 |
physician-patient relationship described in division (A)(2) of | 1296 |
this section is deemed to have waived any testimonial privilege | 1297 |
under division (A) or (B) of section 2317.02 of the Revised Code | 1298 |
with respect to any communication the attorney or physician | 1299 |
receives from the client or patient in that attorney-client or | 1300 |
physician-patient relationship, and the attorney or physician | 1301 |
shall make a report pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section | 1302 |
with respect to that communication, if all of the following apply: | 1303 |
(b) The attorney or physician knows, or has reasonable cause | 1308 |
to suspect based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in | 1309 |
similar position to suspect, as a result of the communication or | 1310 |
any observations made during that communication, that the client | 1311 |
or patient has suffered or faces a threat of suffering any | 1312 |
physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or condition of a | 1313 |
nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the client or | 1314 |
patient. | 1315 |
(4)(a) No cleric and no person, other than a volunteer, | 1320 |
designated by any church, religious society, or faith acting as a | 1321 |
leader, official, or delegate on behalf of the church, religious | 1322 |
society, or faith who is acting in an official or professional | 1323 |
capacity, who knows, or has reasonable cause to believe based on | 1324 |
facts that would cause a reasonable person in a similar position | 1325 |
to believe, that a child under eighteen years of age or a mentally | 1326 |
retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired child | 1327 |
under twenty-one years of age has suffered or faces a threat of | 1328 |
suffering any physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or | 1329 |
condition of a nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect | 1330 |
of the child, and who knows, or has reasonable cause to believe | 1331 |
based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in a similar | 1332 |
position to believe, that another cleric or another person, other | 1333 |
than a volunteer, designated by a church, religious society, or | 1334 |
faith acting as a leader, official, or delegate on behalf of the | 1335 |
church, religious society, or faith caused, or poses the threat of | 1336 |
causing, the wound, injury, disability, or condition that | 1337 |
reasonably indicates abuse or neglect shall fail to immediately | 1338 |
report that knowledge or reasonable cause to believe to the entity | 1339 |
or persons specified in this division. Except as provided in | 1340 |
section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, the person making the report | 1341 |
shall make it to the public children services agency or a | 1342 |
municipal or county peace officer in the county in which the child | 1343 |
resides or in which the abuse or neglect is occurring or has | 1344 |
occurred. In the circumstances described in section 5120.173 of | 1345 |
the Revised Code, the person making the report shall make it to | 1346 |
the entity specified in that section. | 1347 |
(b) Except as provided in division (A)(4)(c) of this section, | 1348 |
a cleric is not required to make a report pursuant to division | 1349 |
(A)(4)(a) of this section concerning any communication the cleric | 1350 |
receives from a penitent in a cleric-penitent relationship, if, in | 1351 |
accordance with division (C) of section 2317.02 of the Revised | 1352 |
Code, the cleric could not testify with respect to that | 1353 |
communication in a civil or criminal proceeding. | 1354 |
(ii) The cleric knows, or has reasonable cause to believe | 1367 |
based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in a similar | 1368 |
position to believe, as a result of the communication or any | 1369 |
observations made during that communication, the penitent has | 1370 |
suffered or faces a threat of suffering any physical or mental | 1371 |
wound, injury, disability, or condition of a nature that | 1372 |
reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the penitent. | 1373 |
(B) Anyone who knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect | 1388 |
based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in similar | 1389 |
circumstances to suspect, that a child under eighteen years of age | 1390 |
or a mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically | 1391 |
impaired person under twenty-one years of age has suffered or | 1392 |
faces a threat of suffering any physical or mental wound, injury, | 1393 |
disability, or other condition of a nature that reasonably | 1394 |
indicates abuse or neglect of the child may report or cause | 1395 |
reports to be made of that knowledge or reasonable cause to | 1396 |
suspect to the entity or persons specified in this division. | 1397 |
Except as provided in section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, a | 1398 |
person making a report or causing a report to be made under this | 1399 |
division shall make it or cause it to be made to the public | 1400 |
children services agency or to a municipal or county peace | 1401 |
officer. In the circumstances described in section 5120.173 of the | 1402 |
Revised Code, a person making a report or causing a report to be | 1403 |
made under this division shall make it or cause it to be made to | 1404 |
the entity specified in that section. | 1405 |
(2) The child's age and the nature and extent of the child's | 1413 |
injuries, abuse, or neglect that is known or reasonably suspected | 1414 |
or believed, as applicable, to have occurred or of the threat of | 1415 |
injury, abuse, or neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or | 1416 |
believed, as applicable, to exist, including any evidence of | 1417 |
previous injuries, abuse, or neglect; | 1418 |
(b) If the county served by the agency is also served by a | 1445 |
children's advocacy center and the report alleges sexual abuse of | 1446 |
a child or another type of abuse of a child that is specified in | 1447 |
the memorandum of understanding that creates the center as being | 1448 |
within the center's jurisdiction, comply regarding the report with | 1449 |
the protocol and procedures for referrals and investigations, with | 1450 |
the coordinating activities, and with the authority or | 1451 |
responsibility for performing or providing functions, activities, | 1452 |
and services stipulated in the interagency agreement entered into | 1453 |
under section 2151.428 of the Revised Code relative to that | 1454 |
center. | 1455 |
(E) No township, municipal, or county peace officer shall | 1456 |
remove a child about whom a report is made pursuant to this | 1457 |
section from the child's parents, stepparents, or guardian or any | 1458 |
other persons having custody of the child without consultation | 1459 |
with the public children services agency, unless, in the judgment | 1460 |
of the officer, and, if the report was made by physician, the | 1461 |
physician, immediate removal is considered essential to protect | 1462 |
the child from further abuse or neglect. The agency that must be | 1463 |
consulted shall be the agency conducting the investigation of the | 1464 |
report as determined pursuant to section 2151.422 of the Revised | 1465 |
Code. | 1466 |
(F)(1) Except as provided in section 2151.422 of the Revised | 1467 |
Code or in an interagency agreement entered into under section | 1468 |
2151.428 of the Revised Code that applies to the particular | 1469 |
report, the public children services agency shall investigate, | 1470 |
within twenty-four hours, each report of child abuse or child | 1471 |
neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or believed to have | 1472 |
occurred and of a threat of child abuse or child neglect that is | 1473 |
known or reasonably suspected or believed to exist that is | 1474 |
referred to it under this section to determine the circumstances | 1475 |
surrounding the injuries, abuse, or neglect or the threat of | 1476 |
injury, abuse, or neglect, the cause of the injuries, abuse, | 1477 |
neglect, or threat, and the person or persons responsible. The | 1478 |
investigation shall be made in cooperation with the law | 1479 |
enforcement agency and in accordance with the memorandum of | 1480 |
understanding prepared under division (J) of this section. A | 1481 |
representative of the public children services agency shall, at | 1482 |
the time of initial contact with the person subject to the | 1483 |
investigation, inform the person of the specific complaints or | 1484 |
allegations made against the person. The information shall be | 1485 |
given in a manner that is consistent with division (H)(1) of this | 1486 |
section and protects the rights of the person making the report | 1487 |
under this section. | 1488 |
A failure to make the investigation in accordance with the | 1489 |
memorandum is not grounds for, and shall not result in, the | 1490 |
dismissal of any charges or complaint arising from the report or | 1491 |
the suppression of any evidence obtained as a result of the report | 1492 |
and does not give, and shall not be construed as giving, any | 1493 |
rights or any grounds for appeal or post-conviction relief to any | 1494 |
person. The public children services agency shall report each case | 1495 |
to the uniform statewide automated child welfare information | 1496 |
system that the department of job and family services shall | 1497 |
maintain in accordance with section 5101.13 of the Revised Code. | 1498 |
The public children services agency shall submit a report of its | 1499 |
investigation, in writing, to the law enforcement agency. | 1500 |
(G)(1)(a) Except as provided in division (H)(3) of this | 1505 |
section, anyone or any hospital, institution, school, health | 1506 |
department, or agency participating in the making of reports under | 1507 |
division (A) of this section, anyone or any hospital, institution, | 1508 |
school, health department, or agency participating in good faith | 1509 |
in the making of reports under division (B) of this section, and | 1510 |
anyone participating in good faith in a judicial proceeding | 1511 |
resulting from the reports, shall be immune from any civil or | 1512 |
criminal liability for injury, death, or loss to person or | 1513 |
property that otherwise might be incurred or imposed as a result | 1514 |
of the making of the reports or the participation in the judicial | 1515 |
proceeding. | 1516 |
(2) In any civil or criminal action or proceeding in which it | 1523 |
is alleged and proved that participation in the making of a report | 1524 |
under this section was not in good faith or participation in a | 1525 |
judicial proceeding resulting from a report made under this | 1526 |
section was not in good faith, the court shall award the | 1527 |
prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees and costs and, if a | 1528 |
civil action or proceeding is voluntarily dismissed, may award | 1529 |
reasonable attorney's fees and costs to the party against whom the | 1530 |
civil action or proceeding is brought. | 1531 |
(H)(1) Except as provided in divisions (H)(4) and (N) of this | 1532 |
section, a report made under this section is confidential. The | 1533 |
information provided in a report made pursuant to this section and | 1534 |
the name of the person who made the report shall not be released | 1535 |
for use, and shall not be used, as evidence in any civil action or | 1536 |
proceeding brought against the person who made the report. Nothing | 1537 |
in this division shall preclude the use of reports of other | 1538 |
incidents of known or suspected abuse or neglect in a civil action | 1539 |
or proceeding brought pursuant to division (M) of this section | 1540 |
against a person who is alleged to have violated division (A)(1) | 1541 |
of this section, provided that any information in a report that | 1542 |
would identify the child who is the subject of the report or the | 1543 |
maker of the report, if the maker of the report is not the | 1544 |
defendant or an agent or employee of the defendant, has been | 1545 |
redacted. In a criminal proceeding, the report is admissible in | 1546 |
evidence in accordance with the Rules of Evidence and is subject | 1547 |
to discovery in accordance with the Rules of Criminal Procedure. | 1548 |
(4) If a report is made pursuant to division (A) or (B) of | 1557 |
this section and the child who is the subject of the report dies | 1558 |
for any reason at any time after the report is made, but before | 1559 |
the child attains eighteen years of age, the public children | 1560 |
services agency or municipal or county peace officer to which the | 1561 |
report was made or referred, on the request of the child fatality | 1562 |
review board, shall submit a summary sheet of information | 1563 |
providing a summary of the report to the review board of the | 1564 |
county in which the deceased child resided at the time of death. | 1565 |
On the request of the review board, the agency or peace officer | 1566 |
may, at its discretion, make the report available to the review | 1567 |
board. If the county served by the public children services agency | 1568 |
is also served by a children's advocacy center and the report of | 1569 |
alleged sexual abuse of a child or another type of abuse of a | 1570 |
child is specified in the memorandum of understanding that creates | 1571 |
the center as being within the center's jurisdiction, the agency | 1572 |
or center shall perform the duties and functions specified in this | 1573 |
division in accordance with the interagency agreement entered into | 1574 |
under section 2151.428 of the Revised Code relative to that | 1575 |
advocacy center. | 1576 |
(5) A public children services agency shall advise a person | 1577 |
alleged to have inflicted abuse or neglect on a child who is the | 1578 |
subject of a report made pursuant to this section, including a | 1579 |
report alleging sexual abuse of a child or another type of abuse | 1580 |
of a child referred to a children's advocacy center pursuant to an | 1581 |
interagency agreement entered into under section 2151.428 of the | 1582 |
Revised Code, in writing of the disposition of the investigation. | 1583 |
The agency shall not provide to the person any information that | 1584 |
identifies the person who made the report, statements of | 1585 |
witnesses, or police or other investigative reports. | 1586 |
(I) Any report that is required by this section, other than a | 1587 |
report that is made to the state highway patrol as described in | 1588 |
section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, shall result in protective | 1589 |
services and emergency supportive services being made available by | 1590 |
the public children services agency on behalf of the children | 1591 |
about whom the report is made, in an effort to prevent further | 1592 |
neglect or abuse, to enhance their welfare, and, whenever | 1593 |
possible, to preserve the family unit intact. The agency required | 1594 |
to provide the services shall be the agency conducting the | 1595 |
investigation of the report pursuant to section 2151.422 of the | 1596 |
Revised Code. | 1597 |
(2) A memorandum of understanding shall set forth the normal | 1623 |
operating procedure to be employed by all concerned officials in | 1624 |
the execution of their respective responsibilities under this | 1625 |
section and division (C) of section 2919.21, division (B)(1) of | 1626 |
section 2919.22, division (B) of section 2919.23, and section | 1627 |
2919.24 of the Revised Code and shall have as two of its primary | 1628 |
goals the elimination of all unnecessary interviews of children | 1629 |
who are the subject of reports made pursuant to division (A) or | 1630 |
(B) of this section and, when feasible, providing for only one | 1631 |
interview of a child who is the subject of any report made | 1632 |
pursuant to division (A) or (B) of this section. A failure to | 1633 |
follow the procedure set forth in the memorandum by the concerned | 1634 |
officials is not grounds for, and shall not result in, the | 1635 |
dismissal of any charges or complaint arising from any reported | 1636 |
case of abuse or neglect or the suppression of any evidence | 1637 |
obtained as a result of any reported child abuse or child neglect | 1638 |
and does not give, and shall not be construed as giving, any | 1639 |
rights or any grounds for appeal or post-conviction relief to any | 1640 |
person. | 1641 |
(K)(1) Except as provided in division (K)(4) of this section, | 1665 |
a person who is required to make a report pursuant to division (A) | 1666 |
of this section may make a reasonable number of requests of the | 1667 |
public children services agency that receives or is referred the | 1668 |
report, or of the children's advocacy center that is referred the | 1669 |
report if the report is referred to a children's advocacy center | 1670 |
pursuant to an interagency agreement entered into under section | 1671 |
2151.428 of the Revised Code, to be provided with the following | 1672 |
information: | 1673 |
When a municipal or county peace officer or employee of a | 1689 |
public children services agency receives a report pursuant to | 1690 |
division (A) or (B) of this section the recipient of the report | 1691 |
shall inform the person of the right to request the information | 1692 |
described in division (K)(1) of this section. The recipient of the | 1693 |
report shall include in the initial child abuse or child neglect | 1694 |
report that the person making the report was so informed and, if | 1695 |
provided at the time of the making of the report, shall include | 1696 |
the person's name, address, and telephone number in the report. | 1697 |
(M) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is liable | 1722 |
for compensatory and exemplary damages to the child who would have | 1723 |
been the subject of the report that was not made. A person who | 1724 |
brings a civil action or proceeding pursuant to this division | 1725 |
against a person who is alleged to have violated division (A)(1) | 1726 |
of this section may use in the action or proceeding reports of | 1727 |
other incidents of known or suspected abuse or neglect, provided | 1728 |
that any information in a report that would identify the child who | 1729 |
is the subject of the report or the maker of the report, if the | 1730 |
maker is not the defendant or an agent or employee of the | 1731 |
defendant, has been redacted. | 1732 |
(a) "Out-of-home care" includes a nonchartered nonpublic | 1734 |
school if the alleged child abuse or child neglect, or alleged | 1735 |
threat of child abuse or child neglect, described in a report | 1736 |
received by a public children services agency allegedly occurred | 1737 |
in or involved the nonchartered nonpublic school and the alleged | 1738 |
perpetrator named in the report holds a certificate, permit, or | 1739 |
license issued by the state board of education under section | 1740 |
3301.071 or Chapter 3319. of the Revised Code. | 1741 |
(2) No later than the end of the day following the day on | 1746 |
which a public children services agency receives a report of | 1747 |
alleged child abuse or child neglect, or a report of an alleged | 1748 |
threat of child abuse or child neglect, that allegedly occurred in | 1749 |
or involved an out-of-home care entity, the agency shall provide | 1750 |
written notice of the allegations contained in and the person | 1751 |
named as the alleged perpetrator in the report to the | 1752 |
administrator, director, or other chief administrative officer of | 1753 |
the out-of-home care entity that is the subject of the report | 1754 |
unless the administrator, director, or other chief administrative | 1755 |
officer is named as an alleged perpetrator in the report. If the | 1756 |
administrator, director, or other chief administrative officer of | 1757 |
an out-of-home care entity is named as an alleged perpetrator in a | 1758 |
report of alleged child abuse or child neglect, or a report of an | 1759 |
alleged threat of child abuse or child neglect, that allegedly | 1760 |
occurred in or involved the out-of-home care entity, the agency | 1761 |
shall provide the written notice to the owner or governing board | 1762 |
of the out-of-home care entity that is the subject of the report. | 1763 |
The agency shall not provide witness statements or police or other | 1764 |
investigative reports. | 1765 |
(3) No later than three days after the day on which a public | 1766 |
children services agency that conducted the investigation as | 1767 |
determined pursuant to section 2151.422 of the Revised Code makes | 1768 |
a disposition of an investigation involving a report of alleged | 1769 |
child abuse or child neglect, or a report of an alleged threat of | 1770 |
child abuse or child neglect, that allegedly occurred in or | 1771 |
involved an out-of-home care entity, the agency shall send written | 1772 |
notice of the disposition of the investigation to the | 1773 |
administrator, director, or other chief administrative officer and | 1774 |
the owner or governing board of the out-of-home care entity. The | 1775 |
agency shall not provide witness statements or police or other | 1776 |
investigative reports. | 1777 |
(B) Subject to division (E) of section 5101.801 of the | 1789 |
Revised Code, there is hereby created the kinship permanency | 1790 |
incentive program to promote permanency for a minor child in the | 1791 |
legal and physical custody of a kinship caregiver. The program | 1792 |
shall provide an initial one-time incentive payment to the kinship | 1793 |
caregiver to defray the costs of initial placement of the minor | 1794 |
child in the kinship caregiver's home. The program may provide | 1795 |
additional permanency incentive payments for the minor child at | 1796 |
six month intervals for a total period not to exceed thirty-six | 1797 |
forty-eight months, based on the availability of funds. | 1798 |
Sec. 5103.162. (A) Except as provided in division (B) of this | 1873 |
section, a foster caregiver shall be immune from liability in a | 1874 |
civil action to recover damages for injury, death, or loss to | 1875 |
person or property allegedly caused by an act or omission in | 1876 |
connection with a power, duty, responsibility, or authorization | 1877 |
under this chapter or under rules adopted under authority of this | 1878 |
chapter. | 1879 |
(2) A public children services agency, private child placing | 1894 |
agency, or private noncustodial agency that serves as the child's | 1895 |
custodian or as the supervising agency for the foster caregiver | 1896 |
shall be immune from liability in a civil action to recover | 1897 |
damages for injury, death, or loss to person or property that | 1898 |
result from a foster caregiver's or agency's decisions using a | 1899 |
reasonable and prudent parent standard in accordance with division | 1900 |
(C)(1) of this section. | 1901 |
(4) As used in this section, "reasonable and prudent parent | 1906 |
standard" means the standard characterized by careful and sensible | 1907 |
parental decisions that maintain the child's health, safety, and | 1908 |
best interests while at the same time encouraging the child's | 1909 |
emotional and developmental growth, that a caregiver or agency | 1910 |
shall use when determining whether to allow a child in the care of | 1911 |
a foster caregiver to participate in extracurricular, enrichment, | 1912 |
and social activities. | 1913 |
Section 3. Section 2151.281 of the Revised Code is presented | 1917 |
in this act as a composite of the section as amended by both Am. | 1918 |
Sub. S.B. 17 and Am. Sub. S.B. 238 of the 126th General Assembly. | 1919 |
The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division | 1920 |
(B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be | 1921 |
harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds | 1922 |
that the composite is the resulting version of the section in | 1923 |
effect prior to the effective date of the section as presented in | 1924 |
this act. | 1925 |