§ 40-11-12.5. Review of young adults under the court's legal supervision and receiving care and
placement services from DCYF.
(a) In the case of a young adult, between the ages of eighteen (18) and twenty-one (21),
who has executed a voluntary placement agreement for continued care and placement
responsibility from the department and for legal supervision of the court, the permanency
plan shall document the reasonable efforts made by the department and the young adult
to finalize a permanency plan that addresses the goal of preparing the young adult
for independence and successful adulthood. This includes, but is not limited to, housing
assistance to obtain supervised independent living arrangements, shared living arrangements
or extended foster and kinship care; education, vocational assessment, job training
and employment plan needed to transition the young adult to self-sufficiency; assisting
the young adult in obtaining educational goals; a job, employment/vocational skills;
any other services and supports that will assist the young adult in accessing available
services; applying for public benefits; acquiring important documents, such as ID
card, driver's license, birth certificate, social security card, health insurance
cards, medical records; attending to physical and mental health needs; maintaining
relationships with individuals who are important to them and acquiring information
about siblings and other maternal and paternal relatives.
(b) Initial judicial determination — The department must petition the court to make a
determination whether remaining in foster care is in the young adult's best interests.
The court must make a determination within one hundred eighty (180) days of the signing
of the voluntary placement agreement whether remaining in foster care is in the young
adult's best interest.
(c) The court shall conduct a permanency hearing within one year after the young adult
and the department execute a voluntary placement agreement and annually thereafter.
At the permanency hearing, the department shall present a written case plan to the
court for approval that details the necessary services, care and placement the young
adult shall receive to assist the transition to independence and successful adulthood.
The court must determine whether the department has made reasonable efforts to finalize
a permanency goal of preparing the young adult for successful transition to independence.
(d) Notice of the court hearings shall be served by the department upon all parties in
interest in accordance with the rules of child welfare procedure of the family court.
(e) Periodic formal reviews, shall be held not less than once every one hundred eighty
(180) days to assess the progress and case plan of any young adult under the court's
legal supervision and under the care and placement responsibility of DCYF pursuant
to a voluntary agreement for extension of care.
The permanency plan shall be reviewed by the court at least once every twelve (12)
months at a permanency hearing and by the department in an administrative review within
one hundred eighty (180) days after the permanency hearing. The young adult is expected
to participate in case planning and periodic reviews.