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Sub. S. B. No. 152 As Passed by the SenateAs Passed by the Senate
130th General Assembly | Regular Session | 2013-2014 |
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Cosponsors:
Senators Beagle, Cafaro, Jones, LaRose, Manning, Patton, Brown, Burke, Coley, Eklund, Gardner, Hite, Kearney, Peterson, Sawyer, Schiavoni, Seitz, Skindell, Smith, Tavares, Turner, Uecker
A BILL
To amend sections 2151.281, 2151.353, 2151.414,
2151.415, 2151.417, 2151.421, 5101.802, 5103.035,
and 5103.162 and to enact section 2151.315 of the
Revised Code to permit a court to grant a motion
for permanent custody of a child to a movant if
the child or another child in the custody of the
parent has been adjudicated an abused, neglected,
or dependent child on three separate occasions, to
require the guardian ad litem for an alleged or
adjudicated abused, neglected, or dependent child
to file any motions and other court papers in
accordance with rules adopted by the Supreme
Court, to require court appointed special
advocates and guardian ad litems to report
suspected child abuse or neglect, to require
foster caregivers to use a reasonable and prudent
parent standard when authorizing a foster child to
participate in activities, to require the
department of job and family services to adopt
rules that establish policies and procedures for
determining when a foster child or an alleged or
adjudicated abused, neglected, or dependent child
subject to out-of-home care may participate in
certain activities, to exempt a public children
services agency, private child placing agency, or
private noncustodial agency from civil liability
that results from a foster caregiver's or agency's
decisions using a reasonable and prudent parent
standard, to limit the circumstances under which a
child is placed into a planned permanent living
arrangement, to extend the period for incentive
payments under the kinship permanency incentive
program, and to provide factors for a person or
facility to consider when determining if an
alleged or adjudicated abused, neglected, or
dependent child subject to out-of-home care is
able to participate in certain activities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 2151.281, 2151.353, 2151.414,
2151.415, 2151.417, 2151.421, 5101.802, 5103.035, and 5103.162 be
amended and section 2151.315 of the Revised Code be enacted to
read as follows:
Sec. 2151.281. (A) The court shall appoint a guardian ad
litem, subject to rules adopted by the supreme court, to protect
the interest of a child in any proceeding concerning an alleged or
adjudicated delinquent child or unruly child when either of the
following applies:
(1) The child has no parent, guardian, or legal custodian.
(2) The court finds that there is a conflict of interest
between the child and the child's parent, guardian, or legal
custodian.
(B)(1) The Except as provided in division (K) of this
section, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem, subject to
rules adopted by the supreme court, to protect the interest of a
child in any proceeding concerning an alleged abused or neglected
child and in any proceeding held pursuant to section 2151.414 of
the Revised Code. The guardian ad litem so appointed shall not be
the attorney responsible for presenting the evidence alleging that
the child is an abused or neglected child and shall not be an
employee of any party in the proceeding.
(2) Except in any proceeding concerning a dependent child
involving the permanent custody of an infant under the age of six
months for the sole purpose of placement for adoption by a private
child placing agency, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem,
subject to rules adopted by the supreme court, to protect the
interest of a child in any proceeding concerning an alleged
dependent child if any of the following applies:
(a) The parent of the child appears to be mentally
incompetent or is under eighteen years of age.
(b) There is a conflict of interest between the child and the
child's parents, guardian, or custodian.
(c) The court believes that the parent of the child is not
capable of representing the best interest of the child.
(3) Except in any proceeding concerning a dependent child
involving the permanent custody of an infant under the age of six
months for the sole purpose of placement for adoption by a private
child placing agency, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem,
subject to rules adopted by the supreme court, to protect the
interest of the child in any other proceeding concerning an
alleged dependent child.
(4) The guardian ad litem appointed for an alleged or
adjudicated abused or neglected child may bring a civil action
against any person who is required by division (A)(1) or (4) of
section 2151.421 of the Revised Code to file a report of child
abuse or child neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or
believed to have occurred if that person knows, or has reasonable
cause to suspect or believe based on facts that would cause a
reasonable person in a similar position to suspect or believe, as
applicable, that the child for whom the guardian ad litem is
appointed is the subject of child abuse or child neglect and does
not file the required report and if the child suffers any injury
or harm as a result of the child abuse or child neglect that is
known or reasonably suspected or believed to have occurred or
suffers additional injury or harm after the failure to file the
report.
(C) In any proceeding concerning an alleged or adjudicated
delinquent, unruly, abused, neglected, or dependent child in which
the parent appears to be mentally incompetent or is under eighteen
years of age, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem to
protect the interest of that parent.
(D) The court shall require the guardian ad litem to
faithfully discharge the guardian ad litem's duties and, upon the
guardian ad litem's failure to faithfully discharge the guardian
ad litem's duties, shall discharge the guardian ad litem and
appoint another guardian ad litem. The court may fix the
compensation for the service of the guardian ad litem, which
compensation shall be paid from the treasury of the county,
subject to rules adopted by the supreme court.
(E) A parent who is eighteen years of age or older and not
mentally incompetent shall be deemed sui juris for the purpose of
any proceeding relative to a child of the parent who is alleged or
adjudicated to be an abused, neglected, or dependent child.
(F) In any case in which a parent of a child alleged or
adjudicated to be an abused, neglected, or dependent child is
under eighteen years of age, the parents of that parent shall be
summoned to appear at any hearing respecting the child, who is
alleged or adjudicated to be an abused, neglected, or dependent
child.
(G) In Except as provided in division (K) of this section, in
any case involving in which a guardian ad litem is to be appointed
for an alleged or adjudicated abused
or, neglected, or dependent
child or in any case involving an agreement for the voluntary
surrender of temporary or permanent custody of a child that is
made in accordance with section 5103.15 of the Revised Code, the
court shall appoint the guardian ad litem in each case as soon as
possible after the complaint is filed, the request for an
extension of the temporary custody agreement is filed with the
court, or the request for court approval of the permanent custody
agreement is filed. In any case involving an alleged dependent
child in which the parent of the child appears to be mentally
incompetent or is under eighteen years of age, there is a conflict
of interest between the child and the child's parents, guardian,
or custodian, or the court believes that the parent of the child
is not capable of representing the best interest of the child, the
court shall appoint a guardian ad litem for the child. The
guardian ad litem or the guardian ad litem's replacement shall
continue to serve until any of the following occur:
(1) The complaint is dismissed or the request for an
extension of a temporary custody agreement or for court approval
of the permanent custody agreement is withdrawn or denied;
(2) All dispositional orders relative to the child have
terminated;
(3) The legal custody of the child is granted to a relative
of the child, or to another person;
(4) The child is placed in an adoptive home or, at the
court's discretion, a final decree of adoption is issued with
respect to the child;
(5) The child reaches the age of eighteen if the child is not
mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically
impaired or the child reaches the age of twenty-one if the child
is mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically
impaired;
(6) The guardian ad litem resigns or is removed by the court
and a replacement is appointed by the court.
If a guardian ad litem ceases to serve a child pursuant to
division (G)(4) of this section and the petition for adoption with
respect to the child is denied or withdrawn prior to the issuance
of a final decree of adoption or prior to the date an
interlocutory order of adoption becomes final, the juvenile court
shall reappoint a guardian ad litem for that child. The public
children services agency or private child placing agency with
permanent custody of the child shall notify the juvenile court if
the petition for adoption is denied or withdrawn.
(H) If the guardian ad litem for an alleged or adjudicated
abused, neglected, or dependent child is an attorney admitted to
the practice of law in this state, the guardian ad litem also may
serve as counsel to the ward. Until the supreme court adopts rules
regarding service as a guardian ad litem that regulate conflicts
between a person's role as guardian ad litem and as counsel, if a
person is serving as guardian ad litem and counsel for a child and
either that person or the court finds that a conflict may exist
between the person's roles as guardian ad litem and as counsel,
the court shall relieve the person of duties as guardian ad litem
and appoint someone else as guardian ad litem for the child. If
the court appoints a person who is not an attorney admitted to the
practice of law in this state to be a guardian ad litem, the court
also may appoint an attorney admitted to the practice of law in
this state to serve as counsel for the guardian ad litem.
(I) The guardian ad litem for an alleged or adjudicated
abused, neglected, or dependent child shall perform whatever
functions are necessary to protect the best interest of the child,
including, but not limited to, investigation, mediation,
monitoring court proceedings, and monitoring the services provided
the child by the public children services agency or private child
placing agency that has temporary or permanent custody of the
child, and shall file any motions and other court papers that are
in the best interest of the child in accordance with rules adopted
by the supreme court.
The guardian ad litem shall be given notice of all hearings,
administrative reviews, and other proceedings in the same manner
as notice is given to parties to the action.
(J)(1) When the court appoints a guardian ad litem pursuant
to this section, it shall appoint a qualified volunteer or court
appointed special advocate whenever one is available and the
appointment is appropriate.
(2) Upon request, the department of job and family services
shall provide for the training of volunteer guardians ad litem.
(K) A guardian ad litem shall not be appointed for a child
who is under six months of age in any proceeding in which a
private child placing agency is seeking permanent custody of the
child or seeking approval of a voluntary permanent custody
surrender agreement for the sole purpose of the adoption of the
child.
Sec. 2151.315. (A) As used in this section,
"age-appropriate" means activities or items that are generally
accepted as suitable for children of the same chronological age or
level of maturity. Age appropriateness is based on the development
of cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral capacity that is
typical for an age or age group.
(B) A child who is subject to out-of-home care for alleged or
adjudicated abused, neglected, or dependent children is entitled
to participate in age-appropriate extracurricular, enrichment, and
social activities.
(C) A person or facility that is providing out-of-home care
for an alleged or adjudicated abused, neglected, or dependent
child shall consider all of the following when determining whether
to give permission for that child to participate in
extracurricular, enrichment, or social activities:
(1) The child's age, maturity, and developmental level to
maintain the overall health and safety of the child;
(2) The potential risk factors and the appropriateness of the
extracurricular, enrichment, or social activity;
(3) The best interest of the child based on information known
by the person or facility providing out-of-home care for an
alleged or adjudicated abused, neglected, or dependent child;
(4) The importance of encouraging the child's emotional and
developmental growth;
(5) The importance of providing the child with the most
family-like living experience possible;
(6) The behavioral history of the child and the child's
ability to safely participate in the extracurricular, enrichment,
or social activity.
(D) A person or facility that provides out-of-home care to an
alleged or adjudicated abused, neglected, or dependent child shall
be immune from liability in a civil action to recover damages for
injury, death, or loss to person or property caused to the child
who participates in an extracurricular, enrichment, or social
activity approved by the person or facility provided that the
person or facility considered the factors described in division
(C) of this section.
Sec. 2151.353. (A) If a child is adjudicated an abused,
neglected, or dependent child, the court may make any of the
following orders of disposition:
(1) Place the child in protective supervision;
(2) Commit the child to the temporary custody of a public
children services agency, a private child placing agency, either
parent, a relative residing within or outside the state, or a
probation officer for placement in a certified foster home, or in
any other home approved by the court;
(3) Award legal custody of the child to either parent or to
any other person who, prior to the dispositional hearing, files a
motion requesting legal custody of the child or is identified as a
proposed legal custodian in a complaint or motion filed prior to
the dispositional hearing by any party to the proceedings. A
person identified in a complaint or motion filed by a party to the
proceedings as a proposed legal custodian shall be awarded legal
custody of the child only if the person identified signs a
statement of understanding for legal custody that contains at
least the following provisions:
(a) That it is the intent of the person to become the legal
custodian of the child and the person is able to assume legal
responsibility for the care and supervision of the child;
(b) That the person understands that legal custody of the
child in question is intended to be permanent in nature and that
the person will be responsible as the custodian for the child
until the child reaches the age of majority. Responsibility as
custodian for the child shall continue beyond the age of majority
if, at the time the child reaches the age of majority, the child
is pursuing a diploma granted by the board of education or other
governing authority, successful completion of the curriculum of
any high school, successful completion of an individualized
education program developed for the student by any high school, or
an age and schooling certificate. Responsibility beyond the age of
majority shall terminate when the child ceases to continuously
pursue such an education, completes such an education, or is
excused from such an education under standards adopted by the
state board of education, whichever occurs first.
(c) That the parents of the child have residual parental
rights, privileges, and responsibilities, including, but not
limited to, the privilege of reasonable visitation, consent to
adoption, the privilege to determine the child's religious
affiliation, and the responsibility for support;
(d) That the person understands that the person must be
present in court for the dispositional hearing in order to affirm
the person's intention to become legal custodian, to affirm that
the person understands the effect of the custodianship before the
court, and to answer any questions that the court or any parties
to the case may have.
(4) Commit the child to the permanent custody of a public
children services agency or private child placing agency, if the
court determines in accordance with division (E) of section
2151.414 of the Revised Code that the child cannot be placed with
one of the child's parents within a reasonable time or should not
be placed with either parent and determines in accordance with
division (D)(1) of section 2151.414 of the Revised Code that the
permanent commitment is in the best interest of the child. If the
court grants permanent custody under this division, the court,
upon the request of any party, shall file a written opinion
setting forth its findings of fact and conclusions of law in
relation to the proceeding.
(5) Place the child in a planned permanent living arrangement
with a public children services agency or private child placing
agency, if a public children services agency or private child
placing agency requests the court to place the child in a planned
permanent living arrangement and if the court finds, by clear and
convincing evidence, that a planned permanent living arrangement
is in the best interest of the child and that one of the following
exists:
(a) The child, because of physical, mental, or psychological
problems or needs, is unable to function in a family-like setting
and must remain in residential or institutional care now and for
the foreseeable future beyond the date of the dispositional
hearing held pursuant to section 2151.35 of the Revised Code.
(b) The child is sixteen years of age or older, the parents
of the child have significant physical, mental, or psychological
problems and are unable to care for the child because of those
problems, adoption is not in the best interest of the child, as
determined in accordance with division (D)(1) of section 2151.414
of the Revised Code, and the child retains a significant and
positive relationship with a parent or relative.
(c) The child is sixteen years of age or older, has been
counseled on the permanent placement options available to the
child, and is unwilling to accept or unable to adapt to a
permanent placement, and is in an agency program preparing the
child for independent living.
(6) Order the removal from the child's home until further
order of the court of the person who committed abuse as described
in section 2151.031 of the Revised Code against the child, who
caused or allowed the child to suffer neglect as described in
section 2151.03 of the Revised Code, or who is the parent,
guardian, or custodian of a child who is adjudicated a dependent
child and order any person not to have contact with the child or
the child's siblings.
(B)(1) When making a determination on whether to place a
child in a planned permanent living arrangement pursuant to
division (A)(5)(b) or (c) of this section, the court shall
consider all relevant information that has been presented to the
court, including information gathered from the child, the child's
guardian ad litem, and the public children services agency or
private child placing agency.
(2) A child who is placed in a planned permanent living
arrangement pursuant to division (A)(5)(b) or (c) of this section
shall be placed in an independent living setting or in a family
setting in which the caregiver has been provided by the agency
that has custody of the child with a notice that addresses the
following:
(a) The caregiver understands that the planned permanent
living arrangement is intended to be permanent in nature and that
the caregiver will provide a stable placement for the child
through the child's emancipation or until the court releases the
child from the custody of the agency, whichever occurs first.
(b) The caregiver is expected to actively participate in the
youth's independent living case plan, attend agency team meetings
and court hearings as appropriate, complete training, as provided
in division (B) of section 5103.035 of the Revised Code, related
to providing the child independent living services, and assist in
the child's transition into adulthood.
(3) The department of job and family services shall develop a
model notice to be provided by an agency that has custody of a
child to a caregiver under division (B)(2) of this section. The
agency may modify the model notice to apply to the needs of the
agency.
(C) No order for permanent custody or temporary custody of a
child or the placement of a child in a planned permanent living
arrangement shall be made pursuant to this section unless the
complaint alleging the abuse, neglect, or dependency contains a
prayer requesting permanent custody, temporary custody, or the
placement of the child in a planned permanent living arrangement
as desired, the summons served on the parents of the child
contains as is appropriate a full explanation that the granting of
an order for permanent custody permanently divests them of their
parental rights, a full explanation that an adjudication that the
child is an abused, neglected, or dependent child may result in an
order of temporary custody that will cause the removal of the
child from their legal custody until the court terminates the
order of temporary custody or permanently divests the parents of
their parental rights, or a full explanation that the granting of
an order for a planned permanent living arrangement will result in
the removal of the child from their legal custody if any of the
conditions listed in divisions (A)(5)(a) to (c) of this section
are found to exist, and the summons served on the parents contains
a full explanation of their right to be represented by counsel and
to have counsel appointed pursuant to Chapter 120. of the Revised
Code if they are indigent.
If after making disposition as authorized by division (A)(2)
of this section, a motion is filed that requests permanent custody
of the child, the court may grant permanent custody of the child
to the movant in accordance with section 2151.414 of the Revised
Code.
(C)(D) If the court issues an order for protective
supervision pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section, the court
may place any reasonable restrictions upon the child, the child's
parents, guardian, or custodian, or any other person, including,
but not limited to, any of the following:
(1) Order a party, within forty-eight hours after the
issuance of the order, to vacate the child's home indefinitely or
for a specified period of time;
(2) Order a party, a parent of the child, or a physical
custodian of the child to prevent any particular person from
having contact with the child;
(3) Issue an order restraining or otherwise controlling the
conduct of any person which conduct would not be in the best
interest of the child.
(D)(E) As part of its dispositional order, the court shall
journalize a case plan for the child. The journalized case plan
shall not be changed except as provided in section 2151.412 of the
Revised Code.
(E)(F)(1) The court shall retain jurisdiction over any child
for whom the court issues an order of disposition pursuant to
division (A) of this section or pursuant to section 2151.414 or
2151.415 of the Revised Code until the child attains the age of
eighteen years if the child is not mentally retarded,
developmentally disabled, or physically impaired, the child
attains the age of twenty-one years if the child is mentally
retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired, or the
child is adopted and a final decree of adoption is issued, except
that the court may retain jurisdiction over the child and continue
any order of disposition under division (A) of this section or
under section 2151.414 or 2151.415 of the Revised Code for a
specified period of time to enable the child to graduate from high
school or vocational school. The court shall make an entry
continuing its jurisdiction under this division in the journal.
(2) Any public children services agency, any private child
placing agency, the department of job and family services, or any
party, other than any parent whose parental rights with respect to
the child have been terminated pursuant to an order issued under
division (A)(4) of this section, by filing a motion with the
court, may at any time request the court to modify or terminate
any order of disposition issued pursuant to division (A) of this
section or section 2151.414 or 2151.415 of the Revised Code. The
court shall hold a hearing upon the motion as if the hearing were
the original dispositional hearing and shall give all parties to
the action and the guardian ad litem notice of the hearing
pursuant to the Juvenile Rules. If applicable, the court shall
comply with section 2151.42 of the Revised Code.
(F)(G) Any temporary custody order issued pursuant to
division (A) of this section shall terminate one year after the
earlier of the date on which the complaint in the case was filed
or the child was first placed into shelter care, except that, upon
the filing of a motion pursuant to section 2151.415 of the Revised
Code, the temporary custody order shall continue and not terminate
until the court issues a dispositional order under that section.
In resolving the motion, the court shall not order an existing
temporary custody order to continue beyond two years after the
date on which the complaint was filed or the child was first
placed into shelter care, whichever date is earlier, regardless of
whether any extensions have been previously ordered pursuant to
division (D) of section 2151.415 of the Revised Code.
(G)(H)(1) No later than one year after the earlier of the
date the complaint in the case was filed or the child was first
placed in shelter care, a party may ask the court to extend an
order for protective supervision for six months or to terminate
the order. A party requesting extension or termination of the
order shall file a written request for the extension or
termination with the court and give notice of the proposed
extension or termination in writing before the end of the day
after the day of filing it to all parties and the child's guardian
ad litem. If a public children services agency or private child
placing agency requests termination of the order, the agency shall
file a written status report setting out the facts supporting
termination of the order at the time it files the request with the
court. If no party requests extension or termination of the order,
the court shall notify the parties that the court will extend the
order for six months or terminate it and that it may do so without
a hearing unless one of the parties requests a hearing. All
parties and the guardian ad litem shall have seven days from the
date a notice is sent pursuant to this division to object to and
request a hearing on the proposed extension or termination.
(a) If it receives a timely request for a hearing, the court
shall schedule a hearing to be held no later than thirty days
after the request is received by the court. The court shall give
notice of the date, time, and location of the hearing to all
parties and the guardian ad litem. At the hearing, the court shall
determine whether extension or termination of the order is in the
child's best interest. If termination is in the child's best
interest, the court shall terminate the order. If extension is in
the child's best interest, the court shall extend the order for
six months.
(b) If it does not receive a timely request for a hearing,
the court may extend the order for six months or terminate it
without a hearing and shall journalize the order of extension or
termination not later than fourteen days after receiving the
request for extension or termination or after the date the court
notifies the parties that it will extend or terminate the order.
If the court does not extend or terminate the order, it shall
schedule a hearing to be held no later than thirty days after the
expiration of the applicable fourteen-day time period and give
notice of the date, time, and location of the hearing to all
parties and the child's guardian ad litem. At the hearing, the
court shall determine whether extension or termination of the
order is in the child's best interest. If termination is in the
child's best interest, the court shall terminate the order. If
extension is in the child's best interest, the court shall issue
an order extending the order for protective supervision six
months.
(2) If the court grants an extension of the order for
protective supervision pursuant to division (G)(H)(1) of this
section, a party may, prior to termination of the extension, file
with the court a request for an additional extension of six months
or for termination of the order. The court and the parties shall
comply with division (G)(H)(1) of this section with respect to
extending or terminating the order.
(3) If a court grants an extension pursuant to division
(G)(H)(2) of this section, the court shall terminate the order for
protective supervision at the end of the extension.
(H)(I) The court shall not issue a dispositional order
pursuant to division (A) of this section that removes a child from
the child's home unless the court complies with section 2151.419
of the Revised Code and includes in the dispositional order the
findings of fact required by that section.
(I)(J) If a motion or application for an order described in
division (A)(6) of this section is made, the court shall not issue
the order unless, prior to the issuance of the order, it provides
to the person all of the following:
(1) Notice and a copy of the motion or application;
(2) The grounds for the motion or application;
(3) An opportunity to present evidence and witnesses at a
hearing regarding the motion or application;
(4) An opportunity to be represented by counsel at the
hearing.
(J)(K) The jurisdiction of the court shall terminate one year
after the date of the award or, if the court takes any further
action in the matter subsequent to the award, the date of the
latest further action subsequent to the award, if the court awards
legal custody of a child to either of the following:
(1) A legal custodian who, at the time of the award of legal
custody, resides in a county of this state other than the county
in which the court is located;
(2) A legal custodian who resides in the county in which the
court is located at the time of the award of legal custody, but
moves to a different county of this state prior to one year after
the date of the award or, if the court takes any further action in
the matter subsequent to the award, one year after the date of the
latest further action subsequent to the award.
The court in the county in which the legal custodian resides
then shall have jurisdiction in the matter.
Sec. 2151.414. (A)(1) Upon the filing of a motion pursuant
to section 2151.413 of the Revised Code for permanent custody of a
child, the court shall schedule a hearing and give notice of the
filing of the motion and of the hearing, in accordance with
section 2151.29 of the Revised Code, to all parties to the action
and to the child's guardian ad litem. The notice also shall
contain a full explanation that the granting of permanent custody
permanently divests the parents of their parental rights, a full
explanation of their right to be represented by counsel and to
have counsel appointed pursuant to Chapter 120. of the Revised
Code if they are indigent, and the name and telephone number of
the court employee designated by the court pursuant to section
2151.314 of the Revised Code to arrange for the prompt appointment
of counsel for indigent persons.
The court shall conduct a hearing in accordance with section
2151.35 of the Revised Code to determine if it is in the best
interest of the child to permanently terminate parental rights and
grant permanent custody to the agency that filed the motion. The
adjudication that the child is an abused, neglected, or dependent
child and any dispositional order that has been issued in the case
under section 2151.353 of the Revised Code pursuant to the
adjudication shall not be readjudicated at the hearing and shall
not be affected by a denial of the motion for permanent custody.
(2) The court shall hold the hearing scheduled pursuant to
division (A)(1) of this section not later than one hundred twenty
days after the agency files the motion for permanent custody,
except that, for good cause shown, the court may continue the
hearing for a reasonable period of time beyond the
one-hundred-twenty-day deadline. The court shall issue an order
that grants, denies, or otherwise disposes of the motion for
permanent custody, and journalize the order, not later than two
hundred days after the agency files the motion.
If a motion is made under division (D)(2) of section 2151.413
of the Revised Code and no dispositional hearing has been held in
the case, the court may hear the motion in the dispositional
hearing required by division (B) of section 2151.35 of the Revised
Code. If the court issues an order pursuant to section 2151.353 of
the Revised Code granting permanent custody of the child to the
agency, the court shall immediately dismiss the motion made under
division (D)(2) of section 2151.413 of the Revised Code.
The failure of the court to comply with the time periods set
forth in division (A)(2) of this section does not affect the
authority of the court to issue any order under this chapter and
does not provide any basis for attacking the jurisdiction of the
court or the validity of any order of the court.
(B)(1) Except as provided in division (B)(2) of this section,
the court may grant permanent custody of a child to a movant if
the court determines at the hearing held pursuant to division (A)
of this section, by clear and convincing evidence, that it is in
the best interest of the child to grant permanent custody of the
child to the agency that filed the motion for permanent custody
and that any of the following apply:
(a) The child is not abandoned or orphaned, has not been in
the temporary custody of one or more public children services
agencies or private child placing agencies for twelve or more
months of a consecutive twenty-two-month period, or has not been
in the temporary custody of one or more public children services
agencies or private child placing agencies for twelve or more
months of a consecutive twenty-two-month period if, as described
in division (D)(1) of section 2151.413 of the Revised Code, the
child was previously in the temporary custody of an equivalent
agency in another state, and the child cannot be placed with
either of the child's parents within a reasonable time or should
not be placed with the child's parents.
(b) The child is abandoned.
(c) The child is orphaned, and there are no relatives of the
child who are able to take permanent custody.
(d) The child has been in the temporary custody of one or
more public children services agencies or private child placing
agencies for twelve or more months of a consecutive
twenty-two-month period, or the child has been in the temporary
custody of one or more public children services agencies or
private child placing agencies for twelve or more months of a
consecutive twenty-two-month period and, as described in division
(D)(1) of section 2151.413 of the Revised Code, the child was
previously in the temporary custody of an equivalent agency in
another state.
(e) The child or another child in the custody of the parent
or parents from whose custody the child has been removed has been
adjudicated an abused, neglected, or dependent child on three
separate occasions by any court in this state or another state.
For the purposes of division (B)(1) of this section, a child
shall be considered to have entered the temporary custody of an
agency on the earlier of the date the child is adjudicated
pursuant to section 2151.28 of the Revised Code or the date that
is sixty days after the removal of the child from home.
(2) With respect to a motion made pursuant to division (D)(2)
of section 2151.413 of the Revised Code, the court shall grant
permanent custody of the child to the movant if the court
determines in accordance with division (E) of this section that
the child cannot be placed with one of the child's parents within
a reasonable time or should not be placed with either parent and
determines in accordance with division (D) of this section that
permanent custody is in the child's best interest.
(C) In making the determinations required by this section or
division (A)(4) of section 2151.353 of the Revised Code, a court
shall not consider the effect the granting of permanent custody to
the agency would have upon any parent of the child. A written
report of the guardian ad litem of the child shall be submitted to
the court prior to or at the time of the hearing held pursuant to
division (A) of this section or section 2151.35 of the Revised
Code but shall not be submitted under oath.
If the court grants permanent custody of a child to a movant
under this division, the court, upon the request of any party,
shall file a written opinion setting forth its findings of fact
and conclusions of law in relation to the proceeding. The court
shall not deny an agency's motion for permanent custody solely
because the agency failed to implement any particular aspect of
the child's case plan.
(D)(1) In determining the best interest of a child at a
hearing held pursuant to division (A) of this section or for the
purposes of division (A)(4) or (5) of section 2151.353 or division
(C) of section 2151.415 of the Revised Code, the court shall
consider all relevant factors, including, but not limited to, the
following:
(a) The interaction and interrelationship of the child with
the child's parents, siblings, relatives, foster caregivers and
out-of-home providers, and any other person who may significantly
affect the child;
(b) The wishes of the child, as expressed directly by the
child or through the child's guardian ad litem, with due regard
for the maturity of the child;
(c) The custodial history of the child, including whether the
child has been in the temporary custody of one or more public
children services agencies or private child placing agencies for
twelve or more months of a consecutive twenty-two-month period, or
the child has been in the temporary custody of one or more public
children services agencies or private child placing agencies for
twelve or more months of a consecutive twenty-two-month period
and, as described in division (D)(1) of section 2151.413 of the
Revised Code, the child was previously in the temporary custody of
an equivalent agency in another state;
(d) The child's need for a legally secure permanent placement
and whether that type of placement can be achieved without a grant
of permanent custody to the agency;
(e) Whether any of the factors in divisions (E)(7) to (11) of
this section apply in relation to the parents and child.
For the purposes of division (D)(1) of this section, a child
shall be considered to have entered the temporary custody of an
agency on the earlier of the date the child is adjudicated
pursuant to section 2151.28 of the Revised Code or the date that
is sixty days after the removal of the child from home.
(2) If all of the following apply, permanent custody is in
the best interest of the child and the court shall commit the
child to the permanent custody of a public children services
agency or private child placing agency:
(a) The court determines by clear and convincing evidence
that one or more of the factors in division (E) of this section
exist and the child cannot be placed with one of the child's
parents within a reasonable time or should not be placed with
either parent.
(b) The child has been in an agency's custody for two years
or longer, and no longer qualifies for temporary custody pursuant
to division (D) of section 2151.415 of the Revised Code.
(c) The child does not meet the requirements for a planned
permanent living arrangement pursuant to division (A)(5) of
section 2151.353 of the Revised Code.
(d) Prior to the dispositional hearing, no relative or other
interested person has filed, or has been identified in, a motion
for legal custody of the child.
(E) In determining at a hearing held pursuant to division (A)
of this section or for the purposes of division (A)(4) of section
2151.353 of the Revised Code whether a child cannot be placed with
either parent within a reasonable period of time or should not be
placed with the parents, the court shall consider all relevant
evidence. If the court determines, by clear and convincing
evidence, at a hearing held pursuant to division (A) of this
section or for the purposes of division (A)(4) of section 2151.353
of the Revised Code that one or more of the following exist as to
each of the child's parents, the court shall enter a finding that
the child cannot be placed with either parent within a reasonable
time or should not be placed with either parent:
(1) Following the placement of the child outside the child's
home and notwithstanding reasonable case planning and diligent
efforts by the agency to assist the parents to remedy the problems
that initially caused the child to be placed outside the home, the
parent has failed continuously and repeatedly to substantially
remedy the conditions causing the child to be placed outside the
child's home. In determining whether the parents have
substantially remedied those conditions, the court shall consider
parental utilization of medical, psychiatric, psychological, and
other social and rehabilitative services and material resources
that were made available to the parents for the purpose of
changing parental conduct to allow them to resume and maintain
parental duties.
(2) Chronic mental illness, chronic emotional illness, mental
retardation, physical disability, or chemical dependency of the
parent that is so severe that it makes the parent unable to
provide an adequate permanent home for the child at the present
time and, as anticipated, within one year after the court holds
the hearing pursuant to division (A) of this section or for the
purposes of division (A)(4) of section 2151.353 of the Revised
Code;
(3) The parent committed any abuse as described in section
2151.031 of the Revised Code against the child, caused the child
to suffer any neglect as described in section 2151.03 of the
Revised Code, or allowed the child to suffer any neglect as
described in section 2151.03 of the Revised Code between the date
that the original complaint alleging abuse or neglect was filed
and the date of the filing of the motion for permanent custody;
(4) The parent has demonstrated a lack of commitment toward
the child by failing to regularly support, visit, or communicate
with the child when able to do so, or by other actions showing an
unwillingness to provide an adequate permanent home for the child;
(5) The parent is incarcerated for an offense committed
against the child or a sibling of the child;
(6) The parent has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to an
offense under division (A) or (C) of section 2919.22 or under
section 2903.16, 2903.21, 2903.34, 2905.01, 2905.02, 2905.03,
2905.04, 2905.05, 2907.07, 2907.08, 2907.09, 2907.12, 2907.21,
2907.22, 2907.23, 2907.25, 2907.31, 2907.32, 2907.321, 2907.322,
2907.323, 2911.01, 2911.02, 2911.11, 2911.12, 2919.12, 2919.24,
2919.25, 2923.12, 2923.13, 2923.161, 2925.02, or 3716.11 of the
Revised Code and the child or a sibling of the child was a victim
of the offense or the parent has been convicted of or pleaded
guilty to an offense under section 2903.04 of the Revised Code, a
sibling of the child was the victim of the offense, and the parent
who committed the offense poses an ongoing danger to the child or
a sibling of the child.
(7) The parent has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one
of the following:
(a) An offense under section 2903.01, 2903.02, or 2903.03 of
the Revised Code or under an existing or former law of this state,
any other state, or the United States that is substantially
equivalent to an offense described in those sections and the
victim of the offense was a sibling of the child or the victim was
another child who lived in the parent's household at the time of
the offense;
(b) An offense under section 2903.11, 2903.12, or 2903.13 of
the Revised Code or under an existing or former law of this state,
any other state, or the United States that is substantially
equivalent to an offense described in those sections and the
victim of the offense is the child, a sibling of the child, or
another child who lived in the parent's household at the time of
the offense;
(c) An offense under division (B)(2) of section 2919.22 of
the Revised Code or under an existing or former law of this state,
any other state, or the United States that is substantially
equivalent to the offense described in that section and the child,
a sibling of the child, or another child who lived in the parent's
household at the time of the offense is the victim of the offense;
(d) An offense under section 2907.02, 2907.03, 2907.04,
2907.05, or 2907.06 of the Revised Code or under an existing or
former law of this state, any other state, or the United States
that is substantially equivalent to an offense described in those
sections and the victim of the offense is the child, a sibling of
the child, or another child who lived in the parent's household at
the time of the offense;
(e) A conspiracy or attempt to commit, or complicity in
committing, an offense described in division (E)(7)(a) or (d) of
this section.
(8) The parent has repeatedly withheld medical treatment or
food from the child when the parent has the means to provide the
treatment or food, and, in the case of withheld medical treatment,
the parent withheld it for a purpose other than to treat the
physical or mental illness or defect of the child by spiritual
means through prayer alone in accordance with the tenets of a
recognized religious body.
(9) The parent has placed the child at substantial risk of
harm two or more times due to alcohol or drug abuse and has
rejected treatment two or more times or refused to participate in
further treatment two or more times after a case plan issued
pursuant to section 2151.412 of the Revised Code requiring
treatment of the parent was journalized as part of a dispositional
order issued with respect to the child or an order was issued by
any other court requiring treatment of the parent.
(10) The parent has abandoned the child.
(11) The parent has had parental rights involuntarily
terminated with respect to a sibling of the child pursuant to this
section or section 2151.353 or 2151.415 of the Revised Code, or
under an existing or former law of this state, any other state, or
the United States that is substantially equivalent to those
sections, and the parent has failed to provide clear and
convincing evidence to prove that, notwithstanding the prior
termination, the parent can provide a legally secure permanent
placement and adequate care for the health, welfare, and safety of
the child.
(12) The parent is incarcerated at the time of the filing of
the motion for permanent custody or the dispositional hearing of
the child and will not be available to care for the child for at
least eighteen months after the filing of the motion for permanent
custody or the dispositional hearing.
(13) The parent is repeatedly incarcerated, and the repeated
incarceration prevents the parent from providing care for the
child.
(14) The parent for any reason is unwilling to provide food,
clothing, shelter, and other basic necessities for the child or to
prevent the child from suffering physical, emotional, or sexual
abuse or physical, emotional, or mental neglect.
(15) The parent has committed abuse as described in section
2151.031 of the Revised Code against the child or caused or
allowed the child to suffer neglect as described in section
2151.03 of the Revised Code, and the court determines that the
seriousness, nature, or likelihood of recurrence of the abuse or
neglect makes the child's placement with the child's parent a
threat to the child's safety.
(16) Any other factor the court considers relevant.
(F) The parents of a child for whom the court has issued an
order granting permanent custody pursuant to this section, upon
the issuance of the order, cease to be parties to the action. This
division is not intended to eliminate or restrict any right of the
parents to appeal the granting of permanent custody of their child
to a movant pursuant to this section.
Sec. 2151.415. (A) Except for cases in which a motion for
permanent custody described in division (D)(1) of section 2151.413
of the Revised Code is required to be made, a public children
services agency or private child placing agency that has been
given temporary custody of a child pursuant to section 2151.353 of
the Revised Code, not later than thirty days prior to the earlier
of the date for the termination of the custody order pursuant to
division (G)(H) of section 2151.353 of the Revised Code or the
date set at the dispositional hearing for the hearing to be held
pursuant to this section, shall file a motion with the court that
issued the order of disposition requesting that any of the
following orders of disposition of the child be issued by the
court:
(1) An order that the child be returned home and the custody
of the child's parents, guardian, or custodian without any
restrictions;
(2) An order for protective supervision;
(3) An order that the child be placed in the legal custody of
a relative or other interested individual;
(4) An order permanently terminating the parental rights of
the child's parents;
(5) An order that the child be placed in a planned permanent
living arrangement;
(6) In accordance with division (D) of this section, an order
for the extension of temporary custody.
(B) Upon the filing of a motion pursuant to division (A) of
this section, the court shall hold a dispositional hearing on the
date set at the dispositional hearing held pursuant to section
2151.35 of the Revised Code, with notice to all parties to the
action in accordance with the Juvenile Rules. After the
dispositional hearing or at a date after the dispositional hearing
that is not later than one year after the earlier of the date on
which the complaint in the case was filed or the child was first
placed into shelter care, the court, in accordance with the best
interest of the child as supported by the evidence presented at
the dispositional hearing, shall issue an order of disposition as
set forth in division (A) of this section, except that all orders
for permanent custody shall be made in accordance with sections
2151.413 and 2151.414 of the Revised Code. In issuing an order of
disposition under this section, the court shall comply with
section 2151.42 of the Revised Code.
(C)(1) If an agency pursuant to division (A) of this section
requests the court to place a child into a planned permanent
living arrangement, the agency shall present evidence to indicate
why a planned permanent living arrangement is appropriate for the
child, including, but not limited to, evidence that the agency has
tried or considered all other possible dispositions for the child.
A court shall not place a child in a planned permanent living
arrangement, unless it finds, by clear and convincing evidence,
that a planned permanent living arrangement is in the best
interest of the child and that one of the following exists:
(a) The child, because of physical, mental, or psychological
problems or needs, is unable to function in a family-like setting
and must remain in residential or institutional care.
(b) The parents of the child have significant physical,
mental, or psychological problems and are unable to care for the
child because of those problems, adoption is not in the best
interest of the child, as determined in accordance with division
(D)(1) of section 2151.414 of the Revised Code, and the child
retains a significant and positive relationship with a parent or
relative;
(c) The child is sixteen years of age or older, has been
counseled on the permanent placement options available, is
unwilling to accept or unable to adapt to a permanent placement,
and is in an agency program preparing for independent living.
(2) If the court issues an order placing a child in a planned
permanent living arrangement, both of the following apply:
(a) The court shall issue a finding of fact setting forth the
reasons for its finding;
(b) The agency may make any appropriate placement for the
child and shall develop a case plan for the child that is designed
to assist the child in finding a permanent home outside of the
home of the parents.
(D)(1) If an agency pursuant to division (A) of this section
requests the court to grant an extension of temporary custody for
a period of up to six months, the agency shall include in the
motion an explanation of the progress on the case plan of the
child and of its expectations of reunifying the child with the
child's family, or placing the child in a permanent placement,
within the extension period. The court shall schedule a hearing on
the motion, give notice of its date, time, and location to all
parties and the guardian ad litem of the child, and at the hearing
consider the evidence presented by the parties and the guardian ad
litem. The court may extend the temporary custody order of the
child for a period of up to six months, if it determines at the
hearing, by clear and convincing evidence, that the extension is
in the best interest of the child, there has been significant
progress on the case plan of the child, and there is reasonable
cause to believe that the child will be reunified with one of the
parents or otherwise permanently placed within the period of
extension. In determining whether to extend the temporary custody
of the child pursuant to this division, the court shall comply
with section 2151.42 of the Revised Code. If the court extends the
temporary custody of the child pursuant to this division, upon
request it shall issue findings of fact.
(2) Prior to the end of the extension granted pursuant to
division (D)(1) of this section, the agency that received the
extension shall file a motion with the court requesting the
issuance of one of the orders of disposition set forth in
divisions (A)(1) to (5) of this section or requesting the court to
extend the temporary custody order of the child for an additional
period of up to six months. If the agency requests the issuance of
an order of disposition under divisions (A)(1) to (5) of this
section or does not file any motion prior to the expiration of the
extension period, the court shall conduct a hearing in accordance
with division (B) of this section and issue an appropriate order
of disposition. In issuing an order of disposition, the court
shall comply with section 2151.42 of the Revised Code.
If the agency requests an additional extension of up to six
months of the temporary custody order of the child, the court
shall schedule and conduct a hearing in the manner set forth in
division (D)(1) of this section. The court may extend the
temporary custody order of the child for an additional period of
up to six months if it determines at the hearing, by clear and
convincing evidence, that the additional extension is in the best
interest of the child, there has been substantial additional
progress since the original extension of temporary custody in the
case plan of the child, there has been substantial additional
progress since the original extension of temporary custody toward
reunifying the child with one of the parents or otherwise
permanently placing the child, and there is reasonable cause to
believe that the child will be reunified with one of the parents
or otherwise placed in a permanent setting before the expiration
of the additional extension period. In determining whether to
grant an additional extension, the court shall comply with section
2151.42 of the Revised Code. If the court extends the temporary
custody of the child for an additional period pursuant to this
division, upon request it shall issue findings of fact.
(3) Prior to the end of the extension of a temporary custody
order granted pursuant to division (D)(2) of this section, the
agency that received the extension shall file a motion with the
court requesting the issuance of one of the orders of disposition
set forth in divisions (A)(1) to (5) of this section. Upon the
filing of the motion by the agency or, if the agency does not file
the motion prior to the expiration of the extension period, upon
its own motion, the court, prior to the expiration of the
extension period, shall conduct a hearing in accordance with
division (B) of this section and issue an appropriate order of
disposition. In issuing an order of disposition, the court shall
comply with section 2151.42 of the Revised Code.
(4) No court shall grant an agency more than two extensions
of temporary custody pursuant to division (D) of this section and
the court shall not order an existing temporary custody order to
continue beyond two years after the date on which the complaint
was filed or the child was first placed into shelter care,
whichever date is earlier, regardless of whether any extensions
have been previously ordered pursuant to division (D) of this
section.
(E) After the issuance of an order pursuant to division (B)
of this section, the court shall retain jurisdiction over the
child until the child attains the age of eighteen if the child is
not mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically
impaired, the child attains the age of twenty-one if the child is
mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically
impaired, or the child is adopted and a final decree of adoption
is issued, unless the court's jurisdiction over the child is
extended pursuant to division (E)(F) of section 2151.353 of the
Revised Code.
(F) The court, on its own motion or the motion of the agency
or person with legal custody of the child, the child's guardian ad
litem, or any other party to the action, may conduct a hearing
with notice to all parties to determine whether any order issued
pursuant to this section should be modified or terminated or
whether any other dispositional order set forth in divisions
(A)(1) to (5) of this section should be issued. After the hearing
and consideration of all the evidence presented, the court, in
accordance with the best interest of the child, may modify or
terminate any order issued pursuant to this section or issue any
dispositional order set forth in divisions (A)(1) to (5) of this
section. In rendering a decision under this division, the court
shall comply with section 2151.42 of the Revised Code.
(G) If the court places a child in a planned permanent living
arrangement with a public children services agency or a private
child placing agency pursuant to this section, the agency with
which the child is placed in a planned permanent living
arrangement shall not remove the child from the residential
placement in which the child is originally placed pursuant to the
case plan for the child or in which the child is placed with court
approval pursuant to this division, unless the court and the
guardian ad litem are given notice of the intended removal and the
court issues an order approving the removal or unless the removal
is necessary to protect the child from physical or emotional harm
and the agency gives the court notice of the removal and of the
reasons why the removal is necessary to protect the child from
physical or emotional harm immediately after the removal of the
child from the prior setting.
(H) If the hearing held under this section takes the place of
an administrative review that otherwise would have been held under
section 2151.416 of the Revised Code, the court at the hearing
held under this section shall do all of the following in addition
to any other requirements of this section:
(1) Determine the continued necessity for and the
appropriateness of the child's placement;
(2) Determine the extent of compliance with the child's case
plan;
(3) Determine the extent of progress that has been made
toward alleviating or mitigating the causes necessitating the
child's placement in foster care;
(4) Project a likely date by which the child may be returned
to the child's home or placed for adoption or legal guardianship;
(5) Approve the permanency plan for the child consistent with
section 2151.417 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 2151.417. (A) Any court that issues a dispositional
order pursuant to section 2151.353, 2151.414, or 2151.415 of the
Revised Code may review at any time the child's placement or
custody arrangement, the case plan prepared for the child pursuant
to section 2151.412 of the Revised Code, the actions of the public
children services agency or private child placing agency in
implementing that case plan, the child's permanency plan if the
child's permanency plan has been approved, and any other aspects
of the child's placement or custody arrangement. In conducting the
review, the court shall determine the appropriateness of any
agency actions, the safety and appropriateness of continuing the
child's placement or custody arrangement, and whether any changes
should be made with respect to the child's permanency plan or
placement or custody arrangement or with respect to the actions of
the agency under the child's placement or custody arrangement.
Based upon the evidence presented at a hearing held after notice
to all parties and the guardian ad litem of the child, the court
may require the agency, the parents, guardian, or custodian of the
child, and the physical custodians of the child to take any
reasonable action that the court determines is necessary and in
the best interest of the child or to discontinue any action that
it determines is not in the best interest of the child.
(B) If a court issues a dispositional order pursuant to
section 2151.353, 2151.414, or 2151.415 of the Revised Code, the
court has continuing jurisdiction over the child as set forth in
division (E)(F)(1) of section 2151.353 of the Revised Code. The
court may amend a dispositional order in accordance with division
(E)(F)(2) of section 2151.353 of the Revised Code at any time upon
its own motion or upon the motion of any interested party. The
court shall comply with section 2151.42 of the Revised Code in
amending any dispositional order pursuant to this division.
(C) Any court that issues a dispositional order pursuant to
section 2151.353, 2151.414, or 2151.415 of the Revised Code shall
hold a review hearing one year after the earlier of the date on
which the complaint in the case was filed or the child was first
placed into shelter care to review the case plan prepared pursuant
to section 2151.412 of the Revised Code and the child's placement
or custody arrangement, to approve or review the permanency plan
for the child, and to make changes to the case plan and placement
or custody arrangement consistent with the permanency plan. The
court shall schedule the review hearing at the time that it holds
the dispositional hearing pursuant to section 2151.35 of the
Revised Code.
The court shall hold a similar review hearing no later than
every twelve months after the initial review hearing until the
child is adopted, returned to the parents, or the court otherwise
terminates the child's placement or custody arrangement, except
that the dispositional hearing held pursuant to section 2151.415
of the Revised Code shall take the place of the first review
hearing to be held under this section. The court shall schedule
each subsequent review hearing at the conclusion of the review
hearing immediately preceding the review hearing to be scheduled.
(D) If, within fourteen days after a written summary of an
administrative review is filed with the court pursuant to section
2151.416 of the Revised Code, the court does not approve the
proposed change to the case plan filed pursuant to division (E) of
section 2151.416 of the Revised Code or a party or the guardian ad
litem requests a review hearing pursuant to division (E) of that
section, the court shall hold a review hearing in the same manner
that it holds review hearings pursuant to division (C) of this
section, except that if a review hearing is required by this
division and if a hearing is to be held pursuant to division (C)
of this section or section 2151.415 of the Revised Code, the
hearing held pursuant to division (C) of this section or section
2151.415 of the Revised Code shall take the place of the review
hearing required by this division.
(E) If a court determines pursuant to section 2151.419 of the
Revised Code that a public children services agency or private
child placing agency is not required to make reasonable efforts to
prevent the removal of a child from the child's home, eliminate
the continued removal of a child from the child's home, and return
the child to the child's home, and the court does not return the
child to the child's home pursuant to division (A)(3) of section
2151.419 of the Revised Code, the court shall hold a review
hearing to approve the permanency plan for the child and, if
appropriate, to make changes to the child's case plan and the
child's placement or custody arrangement consistent with the
permanency plan. The court may hold the hearing immediately
following the determination under section 2151.419 of the Revised
Code and shall hold it no later than thirty days after making that
determination.
(F) The court shall give notice of the review hearings held
pursuant to this section to every interested party, including, but
not limited to, the appropriate agency employees who are
responsible for the child's care and planning, the child's
parents, any person who had guardianship or legal custody of the
child prior to the custody order, the child's guardian ad litem,
and the child. The court shall summon every interested party to
appear at the review hearing and give them an opportunity to
testify and to present other evidence with respect to the child's
custody arrangement, including, but not limited to, the following:
the case plan for the child,; the permanency plan, if one exists;
the actions taken by the child's custodian; the need for a change
in the child's custodian or caseworker; and the need for any
specific action to be taken with respect to the child. The court
shall require any interested party to testify or present other
evidence when necessary to a proper determination of the issues
presented at the review hearing. In any review hearing that
pertains to a permanency plan for a child who will not be returned
to the parent, the court shall consider in-state and out-of-state
placement options and the court shall determine whether the
in-state or the out-of-state placement continues to be appropriate
and in the best interests of the child. In any review hearing that
pertains to a permanency plan for a child, the court or a citizens
board appointed by the court pursuant to division (H) of this
section shall consult with the child, in an age-appropriate
manner, regarding the proposed permanency plan for the child.
(G) After the review hearing, the court shall take the
following actions based upon the evidence presented:
(1) If an administrative review has been conducted, determine
whether the conclusions of the review are supported by a
preponderance of the evidence and approve or modify the case plan
based upon that evidence;
(2) If the hearing was held under division (C) or (E) of this
section, approve a permanency plan for the child that specifies
whether and, if applicable, when the child will be safely returned
home or placed for adoption, for legal custody, or in a planned
permanent living arrangement. A permanency plan approved after a
hearing under division (E) of this section shall not include any
provision requiring the child to be returned to the child's home.
(3) If the child is in temporary custody, do all of the
following:
(a) Determine whether the child can and should be returned
home with or without an order for protective supervision;
(b) If the child can and should be returned home with or
without an order for protective supervision, terminate the order
for temporary custody;
(c) If the child cannot or should not be returned home with
an order for protective supervision, determine whether the agency
currently with custody of the child should retain custody or
whether another public children services agency, private child
placing agency, or an individual should be given custody of the
child.
The court shall comply with section 2151.42 of the Revised
Code in taking any action under this division.
(4) If the child is in permanent custody, determine what
actions are required by the custodial agency and of any other
organizations or persons in order to facilitate an adoption of the
child and make any appropriate orders with respect to the custody
arrangement or conditions of the child, including, but not limited
to, a transfer of permanent custody to another public children
services agency or private child placing agency;
(5) Journalize the terms of the updated case plan for the
child.
(H) The court may appoint a referee or a citizens review
board to conduct the review hearings that the court is required by
this section to conduct, subject to the review and approval by the
court of any determinations made by the referee or citizens review
board. If the court appoints a citizens review board to conduct
the review hearings, the board shall consist of one member
representing the general public and four members who are trained
or experienced in the care or placement of children and have
training or experience in the fields of medicine, psychology,
social work, education, or any related field. Of the initial
appointments to the board, two shall be for a term of one year,
two shall be for a term of two years, and one shall be for a term
of three years, with all the terms ending one year after the date
on which the appointment was made. Thereafter, all terms of the
board members shall be for three years and shall end on the same
day of the same month of the year as did the term that they
succeed. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to
the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was
appointed shall hold office for the remainder of the term.
(I) A copy of the court's determination following any review
hearing held pursuant to this section shall be sent to the
custodial agency, the guardian ad litem of the child who is the
subject of the review hearing, and, if that child is not the
subject of a permanent commitment hearing, the parents of the
child.
(J) If the hearing held under this section takes the place of
an administrative review that otherwise would have been held under
section 2151.416 of the Revised Code, the court at the hearing
held under this section shall do all of the following in addition
to any other requirements of this section:
(1) Determine the continued necessity for and the safety and
appropriateness of the child's placement;
(2) Determine the extent of compliance with the child's case
plan;
(3) Determine the extent of progress that has been made
toward alleviating or mitigating the causes necessitating the
child's placement in foster care;
(4) Project a likely date by which the child may be safely
returned home or placed for adoption or legal custody.
(K)(1) Whenever the court is required to approve a permanency
plan under this section or section 2151.415 of the Revised Code,
the public children services agency or private child placing
agency that filed the complaint in the case, has custody of the
child, or will be given custody of the child shall develop a
permanency plan for the child. The agency must file the plan with
the court prior to the hearing under this section or section
2151.415 of the Revised Code.
(2) The permanency plan developed by the agency must specify
whether and, if applicable, when the child will be safely returned
home or placed for adoption or legal custody. If the agency
determines that there is a compelling reason why returning the
child home or placing the child for adoption or legal custody is
not in the best interest of the child, the plan shall provide that
the child will be placed in a planned permanent living
arrangement. A permanency plan developed as a result of a
determination made under division (A)(2) of section 2151.419 of
the Revised Code may not include any provision requiring the child
to be returned home.
Sec. 2151.421. (A)(1)(a) No person described in division
(A)(1)(b) of this section who is acting in an official or
professional capacity and knows, or has reasonable cause to
suspect based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in a
similar position to suspect, that a child under eighteen years of
age or a mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or
physically impaired child under twenty-one years of age has
suffered or faces a threat of suffering any physical or mental
wound, injury, disability, or condition of a nature that
reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the child shall fail to
immediately report that knowledge or reasonable cause to suspect
to the entity or persons specified in this division. Except as
provided in section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, the person
making the report shall make it to the public children services
agency or a municipal or county peace officer in the county in
which the child resides or in which the abuse or neglect is
occurring or has occurred. In the circumstances described in
section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, the person making the report
shall make it to the entity specified in that section.
(b) Division (A)(1)(a) of this section applies to any person
who is an attorney; physician, including a hospital intern or
resident; dentist; podiatrist; practitioner of a limited branch of
medicine as specified in section 4731.15 of the Revised Code;
registered nurse; licensed practical nurse; visiting nurse; other
health care professional; licensed psychologist; licensed school
psychologist; independent marriage and family therapist or
marriage and family therapist; speech pathologist or audiologist;
coroner; administrator or employee of a child day-care center;
administrator or employee of a residential camp or child day camp;
administrator or employee of a certified child care agency or
other public or private children services agency; school teacher;
school employee; school authority; person engaged in social work
or the practice of professional counseling; agent of a county
humane society; person, other than a cleric, rendering spiritual
treatment through prayer in accordance with the tenets of a
well-recognized religion; employee of a county department of job
and family services who is a professional and who works with
children and families; superintendent, board member, or employee
of a county board of developmental disabilities; investigative
agent contracted with by a county board of developmental
disabilities; employee of the department of developmental
disabilities; employee of a facility or home that provides respite
care in accordance with section 5123.171 of the Revised Code;
employee of a home health agency; employee of an entity that
provides homemaker services; a person performing the duties of an
assessor pursuant to Chapter 3107. or 5103. of the Revised Code;
or third party employed by a public children services agency to
assist in providing child or family related services; court
appointed special advocate; or guardian ad litem.
(2) Except as provided in division (A)(3) of this section, an
attorney or a physician is not required to make a report pursuant
to division (A)(1) of this section concerning any communication
the attorney or physician receives from a client or patient in an
attorney-client or physician-patient relationship, if, in
accordance with division (A) or (B) of section 2317.02 of the
Revised Code, the attorney or physician could not testify with
respect to that communication in a civil or criminal proceeding.
(3) The client or patient in an attorney-client or
physician-patient relationship described in division (A)(2) of
this section is deemed to have waived any testimonial privilege
under division (A) or (B) of section 2317.02 of the Revised Code
with respect to any communication the attorney or physician
receives from the client or patient in that attorney-client or
physician-patient relationship, and the attorney or physician
shall make a report pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section
with respect to that communication, if all of the following apply:
(a) The client or patient, at the time of the communication,
is either a child under eighteen years of age or a mentally
retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired person
under twenty-one years of age.
(b) The attorney or physician knows, or has reasonable cause
to suspect based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in
similar position to suspect, as a result of the communication or
any observations made during that communication, that the client
or patient has suffered or faces a threat of suffering any
physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or condition of a
nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the client or
patient.
(c) The abuse or neglect does not arise out of the client's
or patient's attempt to have an abortion without the notification
of her parents, guardian, or custodian in accordance with section
2151.85 of the Revised Code.
(4)(a) No cleric and no person, other than a volunteer,
designated by any church, religious society, or faith acting as a
leader, official, or delegate on behalf of the church, religious
society, or faith who is acting in an official or professional
capacity, who knows, or has reasonable cause to believe based on
facts that would cause a reasonable person in a similar position
to believe, that a child under eighteen years of age or a mentally
retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically impaired child
under twenty-one years of age has suffered or faces a threat of
suffering any physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or
condition of a nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect
of the child, and who knows, or has reasonable cause to believe
based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in a similar
position to believe, that another cleric or another person, other
than a volunteer, designated by a church, religious society, or
faith acting as a leader, official, or delegate on behalf of the
church, religious society, or faith caused, or poses the threat of
causing, the wound, injury, disability, or condition that
reasonably indicates abuse or neglect shall fail to immediately
report that knowledge or reasonable cause to believe to the entity
or persons specified in this division. Except as provided in
section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, the person making the report
shall make it to the public children services agency or a
municipal or county peace officer in the county in which the child
resides or in which the abuse or neglect is occurring or has
occurred. In the circumstances described in section 5120.173 of
the Revised Code, the person making the report shall make it to
the entity specified in that section.
(b) Except as provided in division (A)(4)(c) of this section,
a cleric is not required to make a report pursuant to division
(A)(4)(a) of this section concerning any communication the cleric
receives from a penitent in a cleric-penitent relationship, if, in
accordance with division (C) of section 2317.02 of the Revised
Code, the cleric could not testify with respect to that
communication in a civil or criminal proceeding.
(c) The penitent in a cleric-penitent relationship described
in division (A)(4)(b) of this section is deemed to have waived any
testimonial privilege under division (C) of section 2317.02 of the
Revised Code with respect to any communication the cleric receives
from the penitent in that cleric-penitent relationship, and the
cleric shall make a report pursuant to division (A)(4)(a) of this
section with respect to that communication, if all of the
following apply:
(i) The penitent, at the time of the communication, is either
a child under eighteen years of age or a mentally retarded,
developmentally disabled, or physically impaired person under
twenty-one years of age.
(ii) The cleric knows, or has reasonable cause to believe
based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in a similar
position to believe, as a result of the communication or any
observations made during that communication, the penitent has
suffered or faces a threat of suffering any physical or mental
wound, injury, disability, or condition of a nature that
reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the penitent.
(iii) The abuse or neglect does not arise out of the
penitent's attempt to have an abortion performed upon a child
under eighteen years of age or upon a mentally retarded,
developmentally disabled, or physically impaired person under
twenty-one years of age without the notification of her parents,
guardian, or custodian in accordance with section 2151.85 of the
Revised Code.
(d) Divisions (A)(4)(a) and (c) of this section do not apply
in a cleric-penitent relationship when the disclosure of any
communication the cleric receives from the penitent is in
violation of the sacred trust.
(e) As used in divisions (A)(1) and (4) of this section,
"cleric" and "sacred trust" have the same meanings as in section
2317.02 of the Revised Code.
(B) Anyone who knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect
based on facts that would cause a reasonable person in similar
circumstances to suspect, that a child under eighteen years of age
or a mentally retarded, developmentally disabled, or physically
impaired person under twenty-one years of age has suffered or
faces a threat of suffering any physical or mental wound, injury,
disability, or other condition of a nature that reasonably
indicates abuse or neglect of the child may report or cause
reports to be made of that knowledge or reasonable cause to
suspect to the entity or persons specified in this division.
Except as provided in section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, a
person making a report or causing a report to be made under this
division shall make it or cause it to be made to the public
children services agency or to a municipal or county peace
officer. In the circumstances described in section 5120.173 of the
Revised Code, a person making a report or causing a report to be
made under this division shall make it or cause it to be made to
the entity specified in that section.
(C) Any report made pursuant to division (A) or (B) of this
section shall be made forthwith either by telephone or in person
and shall be followed by a written report, if requested by the
receiving agency or officer. The written report shall contain:
(1) The names and addresses of the child and the child's
parents or the person or persons having custody of the child, if
known;
(2) The child's age and the nature and extent of the child's
injuries, abuse, or neglect that is known or reasonably suspected
or believed, as applicable, to have occurred or of the threat of
injury, abuse, or neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or
believed, as applicable, to exist, including any evidence of
previous injuries, abuse, or neglect;
(3) Any other information that might be helpful in
establishing the cause of the injury, abuse, or neglect that is
known or reasonably suspected or believed, as applicable, to have
occurred or of the threat of injury, abuse, or neglect that is
known or reasonably suspected or believed, as applicable, to
exist.
Any person, who is required by division (A) of this section
to report child abuse or child neglect that is known or reasonably
suspected or believed to have occurred, may take or cause to be
taken color photographs of areas of trauma visible on a child and,
if medically indicated, cause to be performed radiological
examinations of the child.
(D) As used in this division, "children's advocacy center"
and "sexual abuse of a child" have the same meanings as in section
2151.425 of the Revised Code.
(1) When a municipal or county peace officer receives a
report concerning the possible abuse or neglect of a child or the
possible threat of abuse or neglect of a child, upon receipt of
the report, the municipal or county peace officer who receives the
report shall refer the report to the appropriate public children
services agency.
(2) When a public children services agency receives a report
pursuant to this division or division (A) or (B) of this section,
upon receipt of the report, the public children services agency
shall do both of the following:
(a) Comply with section 2151.422 of the Revised Code;
(b) If the county served by the agency is also served by a
children's advocacy center and the report alleges sexual abuse of
a child or another type of abuse of a child that is specified in
the memorandum of understanding that creates the center as being
within the center's jurisdiction, comply regarding the report with
the protocol and procedures for referrals and investigations, with
the coordinating activities, and with the authority or
responsibility for performing or providing functions, activities,
and services stipulated in the interagency agreement entered into
under section 2151.428 of the Revised Code relative to that
center.
(E) No township, municipal, or county peace officer shall
remove a child about whom a report is made pursuant to this
section from the child's parents, stepparents, or guardian or any
other persons having custody of the child without consultation
with the public children services agency, unless, in the judgment
of the officer, and, if the report was made by physician, the
physician, immediate removal is considered essential to protect
the child from further abuse or neglect. The agency that must be
consulted shall be the agency conducting the investigation of the
report as determined pursuant to section 2151.422 of the Revised
Code.
(F)(1) Except as provided in section 2151.422 of the Revised
Code or in an interagency agreement entered into under section
2151.428 of the Revised Code that applies to the particular
report, the public children services agency shall investigate,
within twenty-four hours, each report of child abuse or child
neglect that is known or reasonably suspected or believed to have
occurred and of a threat of child abuse or child neglect that is
known or reasonably suspected or believed to exist that is
referred to it under this section to determine the circumstances
surrounding the injuries, abuse, or neglect or the threat of
injury, abuse, or neglect, the cause of the injuries, abuse,
neglect, or threat, and the person or persons responsible. The
investigation shall be made in cooperation with the law
enforcement agency and in accordance with the memorandum of
understanding prepared under division (J) of this section. A
representative of the public children services agency shall, at
the time of initial contact with the person subject to the
investigation, inform the person of the specific complaints or
allegations made against the person. The information shall be
given in a manner that is consistent with division (H)(1) of this
section and protects the rights of the person making the report
under this section.
A failure to make the investigation in accordance with the
memorandum is not grounds for, and shall not result in, the
dismissal of any charges or complaint arising from the report or
the suppression of any evidence obtained as a result of the report
and does not give, and shall not be construed as giving, any
rights or any grounds for appeal or post-conviction relief to any
person. The public children services agency shall report each case
to the uniform statewide automated child welfare information
system that the department of job and family services shall
maintain in accordance with section 5101.13 of the Revised Code.
The public children services agency shall submit a report of its
investigation, in writing, to the law enforcement agency.
(2) The public children services agency shall make any
recommendations to the county prosecuting attorney or city
director of law that it considers necessary to protect any
children that are brought to its attention.
(G)(1)(a) Except as provided in division (H)(3) of this
section, anyone or any hospital, institution, school, health
department, or agency participating in the making of reports under
division (A) of this section, anyone or any hospital, institution,
school, health department, or agency participating in good faith
in the making of reports under division (B) of this section, and
anyone participating in good faith in a judicial proceeding
resulting from the reports, shall be immune from any civil or
criminal liability for injury, death, or loss to person or
property that otherwise might be incurred or imposed as a result
of the making of the reports or the participation in the judicial
proceeding.
(b) Notwithstanding section 4731.22 of the Revised Code, the
physician-patient privilege shall not be a ground for excluding
evidence regarding a child's injuries, abuse, or neglect, or the
cause of the injuries, abuse, or neglect in any judicial
proceeding resulting from a report submitted pursuant to this
section.
(2) In any civil or criminal action or proceeding in which it
is alleged and proved that participation in the making of a report
under this section was not in good faith or participation in a
judicial proceeding resulting from a report made under this
section was not in good faith, the court shall award the
prevailing party reasonable attorney's fees and costs and, if a
civil action or proceeding is voluntarily dismissed, may award
reasonable attorney's fees and costs to the party against whom the
civil action or proceeding is brought.
(H)(1) Except as provided in divisions (H)(4) and (N) of this
section, a report made under this section is confidential. The
information provided in a report made pursuant to this section and
the name of the person who made the report shall not be released
for use, and shall not be used, as evidence in any civil action or
proceeding brought against the person who made the report. Nothing
in this division shall preclude the use of reports of other
incidents of known or suspected abuse or neglect in a civil action
or proceeding brought pursuant to division (M) of this section
against a person who is alleged to have violated division (A)(1)
of this section, provided that any information in a report that
would identify the child who is the subject of the report or the
maker of the report, if the maker of the report is not the
defendant or an agent or employee of the defendant, has been
redacted. In a criminal proceeding, the report is admissible in
evidence in accordance with the Rules of Evidence and is subject
to discovery in accordance with the Rules of Criminal Procedure.
(2) No person shall permit or encourage the unauthorized
dissemination of the contents of any report made under this
section.
(3) A person who knowingly makes or causes another person to
make a false report under division (B) of this section that
alleges that any person has committed an act or omission that
resulted in a child being an abused child or a neglected child is
guilty of a violation of section 2921.14 of the Revised Code.
(4) If a report is made pursuant to division (A) or (B) of
this section and the child who is the subject of the report dies
for any reason at any time after the report is made, but before
the child attains eighteen years of age, the public children
services agency or municipal or county peace officer to which the
report was made or referred, on the request of the child fatality
review board, shall submit a summary sheet of information
providing a summary of the report to the review board of the
county in which the deceased child resided at the time of death.
On the request of the review board, the agency or peace officer
may, at its discretion, make the report available to the review
board. If the county served by the public children services agency
is also served by a children's advocacy center and the report of
alleged sexual abuse of a child or another type of abuse of a
child is specified in the memorandum of understanding that creates
the center as being within the center's jurisdiction, the agency
or center shall perform the duties and functions specified in this
division in accordance with the interagency agreement entered into
under section 2151.428 of the Revised Code relative to that
advocacy center.
(5) A public children services agency shall advise a person
alleged to have inflicted abuse or neglect on a child who is the
subject of a report made pursuant to this section, including a
report alleging sexual abuse of a child or another type of abuse
of a child referred to a children's advocacy center pursuant to an
interagency agreement entered into under section 2151.428 of the
Revised Code, in writing of the disposition of the investigation.
The agency shall not provide to the person any information that
identifies the person who made the report, statements of
witnesses, or police or other investigative reports.
(I) Any report that is required by this section, other than a
report that is made to the state highway patrol as described in
section 5120.173 of the Revised Code, shall result in protective
services and emergency supportive services being made available by
the public children services agency on behalf of the children
about whom the report is made, in an effort to prevent further
neglect or abuse, to enhance their welfare, and, whenever
possible, to preserve the family unit intact. The agency required
to provide the services shall be the agency conducting the
investigation of the report pursuant to section 2151.422 of the
Revised Code.
(J)(1) Each public children services agency shall prepare a
memorandum of understanding that is signed by all of the
following:
(a) If there is only one juvenile judge in the county, the
juvenile judge of the county or the juvenile judge's
representative;
(b) If there is more than one juvenile judge in the county, a
juvenile judge or the juvenile judges' representative selected by
the juvenile judges or, if they are unable to do so for any
reason, the juvenile judge who is senior in point of service or
the senior juvenile judge's representative;
(c) The county peace officer;
(d) All chief municipal peace officers within the county;
(e) Other law enforcement officers handling child abuse and
neglect cases in the county;
(f) The prosecuting attorney of the county;
(g) If the public children services agency is not the county
department of job and family services, the county department of
job and family services;
(h) The county humane society;
(i) If the public children services agency participated in
the execution of a memorandum of understanding under section
2151.426 of the Revised Code establishing a children's advocacy
center, each participating member of the children's advocacy
center established by the memorandum.
(2) A memorandum of understanding shall set forth the normal
operating procedure to be employed by all concerned officials in
the execution of their respective responsibilities under this
section and division (C) of section 2919.21, division (B)(1) of
section 2919.22, division (B) of section 2919.23, and section
2919.24 of the Revised Code and shall have as two of its primary
goals the elimination of all unnecessary interviews of children
who are the subject of reports made pursuant to division (A) or
(B) of this section and, when feasible, providing for only one
interview of a child who is the subject of any report made
pursuant to division (A) or (B) of this section. A failure to
follow the procedure set forth in the memorandum by the concerned
officials is not grounds for, and shall not result in, the
dismissal of any charges or complaint arising from any reported
case of abuse or neglect or the suppression of any evidence
obtained as a result of any reported child abuse or child neglect
and does not give, and shall not be construed as giving, any
rights or any grounds for appeal or post-conviction relief to any
person.
(3) A memorandum of understanding shall include all of the
following:
(a) The roles and responsibilities for handling emergency and
nonemergency cases of abuse and neglect;
(b) Standards and procedures to be used in handling and
coordinating investigations of reported cases of child abuse and
reported cases of child neglect, methods to be used in
interviewing the child who is the subject of the report and who
allegedly was abused or neglected, and standards and procedures
addressing the categories of persons who may interview the child
who is the subject of the report and who allegedly was abused or
neglected.
(4) If a public children services agency participated in the
execution of a memorandum of understanding under section 2151.426
of the Revised Code establishing a children's advocacy center, the
agency shall incorporate the contents of that memorandum in the
memorandum prepared pursuant to this section.
(5) The clerk of the court of common pleas in the county may
sign the memorandum of understanding prepared under division
(J)(1) of this section. If the clerk signs the memorandum of
understanding, the clerk shall execute all relevant
responsibilities as required of officials specified in the
memorandum.
(K)(1) Except as provided in division (K)(4) of this section,
a person who is required to make a report pursuant to division (A)
of this section may make a reasonable number of requests of the
public children services agency that receives or is referred the
report, or of the children's advocacy center that is referred the
report if the report is referred to a children's advocacy center
pursuant to an interagency agreement entered into under section
2151.428 of the Revised Code, to be provided with the following
information:
(a) Whether the agency or center has initiated an
investigation of the report;
(b) Whether the agency or center is continuing to investigate
the report;
(c) Whether the agency or center is otherwise involved with
the child who is the subject of the report;
(d) The general status of the health and safety of the child
who is the subject of the report;
(e) Whether the report has resulted in the filing of a
complaint in juvenile court or of criminal charges in another
court.
(2) A person may request the information specified in
division (K)(1) of this section only if, at the time the report is
made, the person's name, address, and telephone number are
provided to the person who receives the report.
When a municipal or county peace officer or employee of a
public children services agency receives a report pursuant to
division (A) or (B) of this section the recipient of the report
shall inform the person of the right to request the information
described in division (K)(1) of this section. The recipient of the
report shall include in the initial child abuse or child neglect
report that the person making the report was so informed and, if
provided at the time of the making of the report, shall include
the person's name, address, and telephone number in the report.
Each request is subject to verification of the identity of
the person making the report. If that person's identity is
verified, the agency shall provide the person with the information
described in division (K)(1) of this section a reasonable number
of times, except that the agency shall not disclose any
confidential information regarding the child who is the subject of
the report other than the information described in those
divisions.
(3) A request made pursuant to division (K)(1) of this
section is not a substitute for any report required to be made
pursuant to division (A) of this section.
(4) If an agency other than the agency that received or was
referred the report is conducting the investigation of the report
pursuant to section 2151.422 of the Revised Code, the agency
conducting the investigation shall comply with the requirements of
division (K) of this section.
(L) The director of job and family services shall adopt rules
in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to implement
this section. The department of job and family services may enter
into a plan of cooperation with any other governmental entity to
aid in ensuring that children are protected from abuse and
neglect. The department shall make recommendations to the attorney
general that the department determines are necessary to protect
children from child abuse and child neglect.
(M) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is liable
for compensatory and exemplary damages to the child who would have
been the subject of the report that was not made. A person who
brings a civil action or proceeding pursuant to this division
against a person who is alleged to have violated division (A)(1)
of this section may use in the action or proceeding reports of
other incidents of known or suspected abuse or neglect, provided
that any information in a report that would identify the child who
is the subject of the report or the maker of the report, if the
maker is not the defendant or an agent or employee of the
defendant, has been redacted.
(N)(1) As used in this division:
(a) "Out-of-home care" includes a nonchartered nonpublic
school if the alleged child abuse or child neglect, or alleged
threat of child abuse or child neglect, described in a report
received by a public children services agency allegedly occurred
in or involved the nonchartered nonpublic school and the alleged
perpetrator named in the report holds a certificate, permit, or
license issued by the state board of education under section
3301.071 or Chapter 3319. of the Revised Code.
(b) "Administrator, director, or other chief administrative
officer" means the superintendent of the school district if the
out-of-home care entity subject to a report made pursuant to this
section is a school operated by the district.
(2) No later than the end of the day following the day on
which a public children services agency receives a report of
alleged child abuse or child neglect, or a report of an alleged
threat of child abuse or child neglect, that allegedly occurred in
or involved an out-of-home care entity, the agency shall provide
written notice of the allegations contained in and the person
named as the alleged perpetrator in the report to the
administrator, director, or other chief administrative officer of
the out-of-home care entity that is the subject of the report
unless the administrator, director, or other chief administrative
officer is named as an alleged perpetrator in the report. If the
administrator, director, or other chief administrative officer of
an out-of-home care entity is named as an alleged perpetrator in a
report of alleged child abuse or child neglect, or a report of an
alleged threat of child abuse or child neglect, that allegedly
occurred in or involved the out-of-home care entity, the agency
shall provide the written notice to the owner or governing board
of the out-of-home care entity that is the subject of the report.
The agency shall not provide witness statements or police or other
investigative reports.
(3) No later than three days after the day on which a public
children services agency that conducted the investigation as
determined pursuant to section 2151.422 of the Revised Code makes
a disposition of an investigation involving a report of alleged
child abuse or child neglect, or a report of an alleged threat of
child abuse or child neglect, that allegedly occurred in or
involved an out-of-home care entity, the agency shall send written
notice of the disposition of the investigation to the
administrator, director, or other chief administrative officer and
the owner or governing board of the out-of-home care entity. The
agency shall not provide witness statements or police or other
investigative reports.
(O) As used in this section, "investigation" means the public
children services agency's response to an accepted report of child
abuse or neglect through either an alternative response or a
traditional response.
Sec. 5101.802. (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Custodian," "guardian," and "minor child" have the same
meanings as in section 5107.02 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Federal poverty guidelines" has the same meaning as in
section 5101.46 of the Revised Code.
(3) "Kinship caregiver" has the same meaning as in section
5101.85 of the Revised Code.
(B) Subject to division (E) of section 5101.801 of the
Revised Code, there is hereby created the kinship permanency
incentive program to promote permanency for a minor child in the
legal and physical custody of a kinship caregiver. The program
shall provide an initial one-time incentive payment to the kinship
caregiver to defray the costs of initial placement of the minor
child in the kinship caregiver's home. The program may provide
additional permanency incentive payments for the minor child at
six month intervals for a total period not to exceed thirty-six
forty-eight months, based on the availability of funds.
(C) A kinship caregiver may participate in the program if all
of the following requirements are met:
(1) The kinship caregiver applies to a public children
services agency in accordance with the application process
established in rules authorized by division (E) of this section;
(2) Not earlier than July 1, 2005, a juvenile court issues an
order granting legal custody to the kinship caregiver, or a
probate court grants guardianship to the kinship caregiver, except
that a temporary court order is not sufficient to meet this
requirement;
(3) The kinship caregiver is either the minor child's
custodian or guardian;
(4) The minor child resides with the kinship caregiver
pursuant to a placement approval process established in rules
authorized by division (E) of this section;
(5) Excluding any income excluded under rules adopted under
division (E) of this section, the gross income of the kinship
caregiver's family, including the minor child, does not exceed
three hundred per cent of the federal poverty guidelines.
(D) Public children services agencies shall make initial and
ongoing eligibility determinations for the kinship permanency
incentive program in accordance with rules authorized by division
(E) of this section. The director of job and family services shall
supervise public children services agencies' duties under this
section.
(E) The director of job and family services shall adopt rules
under division (C) of section 5101.801 of the Revised Code as
necessary to implement the kinship permanency incentive program.
The rules shall establish all of the following:
(1) The application process for the program;
(2) The placement approval process through which a minor
child is placed with a kinship caregiver for the kinship caregiver
to be eligible for the program;
(3) The initial and ongoing eligibility determination process
for the program, including the computation of income eligibility;
(4) The amount of the incentive payments provided under the
program;
(5) The method by which the incentive payments are provided
to a kinship caregiver.
(F) The amendments made to this section by Am. Sub. H.B. 119
of the 127th general assembly shall not affect the eligibility of
any kinship caregiver whose eligibility was established before
the effective date of the amendments June 30, 2007.
Sec. 5103.035. A public children services agency, private
child placing agency, or private noncustodial agency acting as a
recommending agency for a foster caregiver shall develop and
implement a written needs assessment and continuing training plan
for the foster caregiver. Each needs assessment and continuing
training plan shall satisfy all of the following requirements:
(A) Be effective for the two-year period the foster
caregiver's certificate is in effect;
(B) Be appropriate for the type of foster home the foster
caregiver operates, and include training for the caregiver that
relates to providing independent living services, as defined in
section 2151.81 of the Revised Code, to a child placed as provided
in division (B)(2) of section 2151.353 of the Revised Code;
(C) Require the foster caregiver to successfully complete the
training required by the department in rules adopted pursuant to
section 5103.0316 of the Revised Code and any other courses the
agency considers appropriate;
(D) Include criteria the agency is to use to determine
whether the foster caregiver has successfully completed the
courses;
(E) Guarantee that the courses the foster caregiver is
required to complete are available to the foster caregiver at
reasonable times and places;
(F) Specify the number of hours of continuing training, if
any, the foster caregiver may complete by teaching one or more
training classes to other foster caregivers or by providing
mentoring services to other foster caregivers pursuant to division
(B) of section 5103.032 of the Revised Code;
(G) Specify the number of hours of continuing training, if
any, the agency will waive pursuant to division (C) of section
5103.032 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 5103.162. (A) Except as provided in division (B) of this
section, a foster caregiver shall be immune from liability in a
civil action to recover damages for injury, death, or loss to
person or property allegedly caused by an act or omission in
connection with a power, duty, responsibility, or authorization
under this chapter or under rules adopted under authority of this
chapter.
(B) The immunity described in division (A) of this section
does not apply to a foster caregiver if, in relation to the act or
omission in question, any of the following applies:
(1) The act or omission was manifestly outside the scope of
the foster caregiver's power, duty, responsibility, or
authorization.
(2) The act or omission was with malicious purpose, in bad
faith, or in a wanton or reckless manner.
(3) Liability for the act or omission is expressly imposed by
a section of the Revised Code.
(C)(1) A foster caregiver shall use a reasonable and prudent
parent standard when considering whether to authorize a foster
child who resides in the foster home to participate in
extracurricular, enrichment, and social activities.
(2) A public children services agency, private child placing
agency, or private noncustodial agency that serves as the child's
custodian or as the supervising agency for the foster caregiver
shall be immune from liability in a civil action to recover
damages for injury, death, or loss to person or property that
result from a foster caregiver's or agency's decisions using a
reasonable and prudent parent standard in accordance with division
(C)(1) of this section.
(3) Nothing in this section shall affect, limit, abridge, or
otherwise modify the immunities and defenses available to a public
children services agency as a political subdivision under Chapter
2744. of the Revised Code.
(4) As used in this section, "reasonable and prudent parent
standard" means the standard characterized by careful and sensible
parental decisions that maintain the child's health, safety, and
best interests while at the same time encouraging the child's
emotional and developmental growth, that a caregiver or agency
shall use when determining whether to allow a child in the care of
a foster caregiver to participate in extracurricular, enrichment,
and social activities.
Section 2. That existing sections 2151.281, 2151.353,
2151.414, 2151.415, 2151.417, 2151.421, 5101.802, 5103.035, and
5103.162 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
Section 3. Section 2151.281 of the Revised Code is presented
in this act as a composite of the section as amended by both Am.
Sub. S.B. 17 and Am. Sub. S.B. 238 of the 126th General Assembly.
The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division
(B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be
harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds
that the composite is the resulting version of the section in
effect prior to the effective date of the section as presented in
this act.
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