Sup. Ct. R. D.C. 30

As amended through April 11, 2024

Rule 30 - Procedures and Orders at Review Hearings and Permanency Hearings

(a) The preparer(s) of the review report(s) shall appear at the review hearing unless excused by the judicial officer.

(b) The judicial officer shall inform any parent who appears at the hearing of the maximum time allowed to make improvements or risk losing all rights to the child.

(c) The judicial officer shall set the time and date of the next hearing and specify the type of hearing to be held.

(d) The judicial officer shall enter an appropriate order following the hearing. The order shall be consistent with D.C. Code § 16-2323.

Sup. Ct. R. D.C. 30

COMMENT

The issues to be addressed at the review hearing may include, but need not be limited, to the following:

(1) Whether the agency's efforts to locate, notify, and work with all parties not currently active in the litigation have been sufficient, and what further actions are necessary;

(2) The extent of progress that has been made toward alleviating or mitigating the causes necessitating placement outside the home;

(3) Whether out-of-home placement continues to be necessary and appropriate;

(4) The safety of the child;

(5) If returning the child home continues to be the case objective, the actions that should be taken by the parents to permit the return of the child;

(6) The extent of compliance with the case plan, previous orders and recommendations of the Court;

(7) The services and assistance that have been offered or provided to the family since the most recent hearing;

(8) Whether the parents are able to contribute or have contributed financially to the child's support;

(9) Whether the environment in which the child is placed is the most family-like and appropriate setting for the child, taking into account the child's physical, emotional and educational needs and the distance of the placement from the child's home;

(10) A summary of parental visitation that has occurred since the most recent hearing;

(11) Whether services, including sibling visitation, have been provided to meet the child's special needs - including physical, emotional and educational needs while in placement;

(12) Whether appropriate services designed to achieve the case plan goals have been provided to the child's family; and

(13) A proposed timetable for achieving the permanency goal including a date by which the child may be returned to and safely maintained in the home or placed for adoption or other permanent placement and the services necessary to achieve the permanency goal for the child within the proposed timetable.