H.B. 270 Enrolled

MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER IN
PARENTAL RIGHTS ACTION
2002 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Sponsor: Mike Thompson
This act modifies the Parental Termination Rights Act in the Judicial Code. The act
provides that when a mental health practitioner is to be appointed in a parental rights action
the juvenile court may appoint any mental health therapist which the court finds to be
qualified, and may not refuse to appoint a mental health therapist for the reason that
therapist's recommendations in another case have not followed the recommendations of the
Division of Child and Family Services.
This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
ENACTS:
78-3a-415, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 78-3a-415 is enacted to read:
78-3a-415. Mental health therapist.
When a mental health practitioner is to be appointed in a parental rights action to evaluate
the mental health of a parent or a minor, or to provide mental health services to a parent or a minor,
the court:
(1) may appoint any mental health therapist, as defined in Section 58-60-102 , which the
court finds to be qualified; and
(2) may not refuse to appoint a mental health therapist for the reason that the therapist's
recommendations in another case have not followed the recommendations of the Division of Child
and Family Services.