Section 722.954a - Placement of child in supervising agency's care; determination of placement with relative; documentation of decision; review hearing.
FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION SERVICES ACT (EXCERPT)
Act 203 of 1994
722.954a Placement of child in supervising agency's care; determination of placement with relative; documentation of decision; review hearing.
Sec. 4a.
(1) If a child has been placed in a supervising agency's care under chapter XIIA of 1939 PA 288, MCL 712A.1 to 712A.32, the supervising agency shall comply with this section and sections 4b and 4c.
(2) Upon removal, as part of a child's initial case service plan as required by rules promulgated under 1973 PA 116, MCL 722.111 to 722.128, and by section 18f of chapter XIIA of 1939 PA 288, MCL 712A.18f, the supervising agency shall, within 30 days, identify, locate, and consult with relatives to determine placement with a fit and appropriate relative who would meet the child's developmental, emotional, and physical needs as an alternative to foster care. Not more than 90 days after the child's removal from his or her home, the supervising agency shall do all of the following:
(a) Make a placement decision and document in writing the reason for the decision.
(b) Provide written notice of the decision and the reasons for the placement decision to the child's attorney, guardian, guardian ad litem, mother, and father; the attorneys for the child's mother and father; each relative who expresses an interest in caring for the child; the child if the child is old enough to be able to express an opinion regarding placement; and the prosecutor.
(3) A person who receives a written decision described in subsection (2) may request in writing, within 5 days, documentation of the reasons for the decision, and if the person does not agree with the placement decision, he or she may request that the child's attorney review the decision to determine if the decision is in the child's best interest. If the child's attorney determines the decision is not in the child's best interest, within 14 days after the date of the written decision the attorney shall petition the court that placed the child out of the child's home for a review hearing. The court shall commence the review hearing not more than 7 days after the date of the attorney's petition and shall hold the hearing on the record.
History: Add. 1997, Act 172, Eff. Mar. 31, 1998