In the Termination of the Parent-Child Relationship of N.C. (Minor Child) and A.C. (Father) v. The Indiana Department of Child Services

56 N.E.3d 65, 2016 Ind. App. LEXIS 198
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 21, 2016
Docket49A02-1510-JT-1711
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 56 N.E.3d 65 (In the Termination of the Parent-Child Relationship of N.C. (Minor Child) and A.C. (Father) v. The Indiana Department of Child Services) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In the Termination of the Parent-Child Relationship of N.C. (Minor Child) and A.C. (Father) v. The Indiana Department of Child Services, 56 N.E.3d 65, 2016 Ind. App. LEXIS 198 (Ind. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

MATHIAS, Judge.

[1] A.C. (“Father”) appeals the involuntary termination of his parental rights to his minor. son N.C. (“Child”). Father presents one issue, which we restate as whether the American with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) applies in termination proceedings.

[2] We affirm.

Facts and Procedural History

[3] Child was born on February 17, 1999 to Mother 1 and Father. On January 29, 2007, the Indiana Department of Child Services (“DCS”) filed a .petition alleging Child to be a child in need of services (“CHINS”) after the health department condemned Mother’s apartment. The petition alleged, “[t]he condition of the home was such that there was no eatable food in the residence, trash was overflowing, fecal matter was piled in the bathroom and the kitchen floor, the bath tub would not properly drain so no one in the-household could use it,- and the child’s clothing and body were unclean.” Ex. Vol., State’s Ex. 2. Child was removed from the home and placed in foster care after Mother was admitted in a,psychiatric facility for suicidal thoughts and Father could not be located. 2

[4] A continued initial hearing was held on March 6, 2007, where Father admitted to the allegations in the CHINS petition and agreed to participate in a parenting assessment, a psychological evaluation, and a drug and alcohol assessment. On June 5, 2007, a CHINS review hearing was held and the court found that Father was not participating in services, so his visitation rights were suspended. Between June and September 2007, DCS family case manager Yoranda Caudill (“Caudill”) worked with Father to explain the purpose of the assessments that the court ordered and to coordinate with Deaf Community Services to provide accommodations for *67 him. 3 Father was also homeless at this time.

[5] On September 11, 2007, Father completed a psychological evaluation and was diagnosed with Depressive Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (“NOS”), Cognitive Disorder NOS, and Intermittent Explosive Disorder. Based on these diagnoses, DCS recommended' supervised visitation, evaluation by a psychiatrist for psychotropic medication, individual counseling, and for Father to continue to follow the recommendations of the court. However, Father did not participate in counseling or any of the recommended services and- did not .complete the court-ordered parenting assessment 4 or drug and alcohol assessment. After the evaluation, DCS also noted concern with Father’s cognitive ability, parenting capabilities, and mental health.

[6] The trial court ordered the permanency plan to be changed to adoption on June 4, 2008. In September 2008, Father signed a specific consent for Child to be adopted by his foster parents.

[7] After the foster parents reported some behavioral-issues, Child was enrolled at Damar Services in a residential program in June 2010. 5 Child is diagnosed with autism spectrum, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders and depression. While Child was enrolled at Damar, the foster parents decided that they no longer wanted to adopt him.

[8] Around the same time Child moved to Damar, Father contacted DCS and requested visitation with Child. The court granted supervised visitation based on the recommendation of the Child’s therapist. On May 13, 2011, Father had a supervised visit with Child at Damar, but Father argued with staff and expressed concern that he was not able to visit Child alone. After that, Father participated in monthly supervised visits with Child that generally went well. However, Father still faded to participate in services and he did not attend any review hearings in the CHINS case between December 2008 and May 2015.

[9] Child transitioned from Damar into a new foster home in July 2012. Around the same time, the visits began confusing Child' because Father' made unrealistic promises, like taking Child on ■ a trip to Washington D.C. DCS attempted to discuss Father’s conduct and DCS’s visitation expectations, but Father could not be reached at the time. Because of the new foster home placement, DCS notified and reminded Father that his visitation scheduled would change. However, Father failed to attend the next visit with Child and another visit to celebrate Child’s birthday on February 11, 2013. The visitation provider cancelled all future visitation due to Father’s missed visits. DCS then referred Father to another visitation provider to reestablish supervised visitation.

[10] At a visit on July 1, 2013, Father promised Child that he would live with him. The visit facilitator reminded Father not to make statements like that, and Father became “very hostile and' angry.” *68 Ex. Vol., p. 244. During that same visit, Father expressed anger toward Child’s foster mother and threatened that he was “coming to get her.” Id. After this encounter, Child indicated that he no longer wanted to visit with Father because of Father’s behavior and false promises. Father did not schedule any more visits with Child and had not seen Child for two years prior to the termination hearing.

[11] DCS filed a petition to terminate Father’s parental rights on May 19, 2014. After DCS filed the termination petition, the trial court ordered Father to participate in a méntal status examination at the request of DCS. Although Father made several appointments for the exam,, he never showed up, and as a result, the examiner would not make -any future appointments. The trial court then held an evidentiary hearing on the termination petition on September 23, 2015. Child indicated that he is doing well in his current foster home, loves his foster mother, and wants her to adopt him. 6 Based on Child’s diagnoses, Child’s therapist Henry Smith (“Smith”) reported that he has special needs but also requires structure and stability. Over the past two years that Child has spent in his current placement, his behavior has stabilized and remained constant. Smith is concerned that if Child transitions into an unstable environment that the progress that Child has made will be disrupted. Child also has expressed a desire to go to college and Smith believes that if his environment changes that he might “give up on that.” Tr. p. 111.

[12] Child’s guardian ad litem Carolyn Thurston (“Thurston”) agreed that he needs stability and adoption is in Child’s best interests. Thurston further explained that Father , has not completed services to effectively meet the needs of Child and Child’s foster mother makes an active effort to meet Child’s educational and emotional needs. Tr. p. 134

[13] On September 29, 2015, the trial court entered an order terminating Father’s parental rights. Father now appeals.

Discussion and Decision

[14] Father argues that because he is deaf and has cognitive and mental health problems that DCS was required to provide him accommodations under the ADA. He specifically contends that DOS’s failure to accommodate his disability is a defense in this termination proceeding.

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Bluebook (online)
56 N.E.3d 65, 2016 Ind. App. LEXIS 198, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-the-termination-of-the-parent-child-relationship-of-nc-minor-child-indctapp-2016.