Section 1039-B - Termination of reasonable efforts(a) In conjunction with, or at any time subsequent to, the filing of a petition under section ten hundred thirty-one of this chapter, the social services official may file a motion upon notice requesting a finding that reasonable efforts to return the child to his or her home are no longer required.(b) For the purpose of this section, reasonable efforts to make it possible for the child to return safely to his or her home shall not be required where the court determines that:(1) the parent of such child has subjected the child to aggravated circumstances, as defined in subdivision (j) of section ten hundred twelve of this article;(2) the parent of such child has been convicted of (i) murder in the first degree as defined in section 125.27 or murder in the second degree as defined in section 125.25 of the penal law and the victim was another child of the parent; or (ii) manslaughter in the first degree as defined in section 125.20 or manslaughter in the second degree as defined in section 125.15 of the penal law and the victim was another child of the parent, provided, however, that the parent must have acted voluntarily in committing such crime;(3) the parent of such child has been convicted of an attempt to commit any of the foregoing crimes, and the victim or intended victim was the child or another child of the parent; or has been convicted of criminal solicitation as defined in article one hundred, conspiracy as defined in article one hundred five or criminal facilitation as defined in article one hundred fifteen of the penal law for conspiring, soliciting or facilitating any of the foregoing crimes, and the victim or intended victim was the child or another child of the parent;(4) the parent of such child has been convicted of assault in the second degree as defined in section 120.05, assault in the first degree as defined in section 120.10 or aggravated assault upon a person less than eleven years old as defined in section 120.12 of the penal law, and the commission of one of the foregoing crimes resulted in serious physical injury to the child or another child of the parent;(5) the parent of such child has been convicted in any other jurisdiction of an offense which includes all of the essential elements of any crime specified in paragraph two, three or four of this subdivision, and the victim of such offense was the child or another child of the parent; or(6) the parental rights of the parent to a sibling of such child have been involuntarily terminated; unless the court determines that providing reasonable efforts would be in the best interests of the child, not contrary to the health and safety of the child, and would likely result in the reunification of the parent and the child in the foreseeable future. The court shall state such findings in its order.(c) If the court determines that reasonable efforts are not required because of one of the grounds set forth above, a permanency hearing shall be held within thirty days of the finding of the court that such efforts are not required. At the permanency hearing, the court shall determine the appropriateness of the permanency plan prepared by the social services official which shall include whether or when the child: (i) will be returned to the parent; (ii)should be placed for adoption with the social services official filing a petition for termination of parental rights; (iii) should be referred for legal guardianship; (iv)should be placed permanently with a fit and willing relative; or (v) should be placed in another planned permanent living arrangement with a significant connection to an adult willing to be a permanency resource for the child if the child is age sixteen or older and if the requirements of clause (E) of subparagraph (i) of paragraph two of subdivision (d) of section one thousand eighty-nine of this chapter have been met. The social services official shall thereafter make reasonable efforts to place the child in a timely manner, including consideration of appropriate in-state and out-of-state placements, and to complete whatever steps are necessary to finalize the permanent placement of the child as set forth in the permanency plan approved by the court. If reasonable efforts are determined by the court not to be required because of one of the grounds set forth in this paragraph, the social services official may file a petition for termination of parental rights in accordance with section three hundred eighty-four-b of the social services law.(d) For the purpose of this section, in determining reasonable effort to be made with respect to a child, and in making such reasonable efforts, the child's health and safety shall be the paramount concern; and(e) For the purpose of this section, a sibling shall include a half-sibling.N.Y. Family Court Law § 1039-B
Amended by New York Laws 2015, ch. 56,Sec. L-25, eff. 9/1/2015.