S.B. 17 Enrolled

FOSTER CARE CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD
2005 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Sponsor: Dan R. Eastman

LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends the duties of a foster care citizen review board and the court for
reviewing cases involving children in the custody of the Division of Child and Family
Services.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
. requires that the six month reviews of a case involving a child in the custody of the
Division of Child and Family Services be conducted until the court terminates the
state's custody of the child;
. requires that in cases where a court conducted a six month review hearing, a foster
care citizen review board must conduct a review of the case within 18 months of the
date that the child was removed from the child's home;
. removes the requirement that a court provide notice to the Foster Care Citizen
Review Board Steering Committee of a determination or finding made by the court;
. provides that the Foster Care Citizen Review Board Steering Committee shall have
access to certain court records and shall forward relevant information from those
records to the appropriate foster care citizen review board; and
. makes technical changes.
Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:

AMENDS:
78-3g-103, as last amended by Chapter 208, Laws of Utah 2000

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 78-3g-103 is amended to read:
78-3g-103. Foster care citizen review boards -- Membership -- Responsibilities --
Periodic reviews.
(1) Within appropriations from the Legislature, foster care citizen review boards shall be
established in each Juvenile Court district in the state, to act as the panels described in 42 U.S.C.
Sections 675(5) and (6), [which] that are required to conduct periodic reviews unless court
reviews are conducted.
(2) (a) The committee shall appoint seven members to each board.
(b) Five [of those] members of each board shall be parents.
[(b)] (c) Five members of a board constitute a quorum, and an action [of] by a majority
of [the] a quorum constitutes the action of the board.
[(c)] (d) A board member may not be an employee of the division or the juvenile court.
[(d)] (e) Board members shall be representative of the ethnic, cultural, religious,
socio-economic, and professional diversity found in the community.
[(e)] (f) A board may elect [its own] officers, including:
(i) a chair[,];
(ii) a vice chair[,]; and
(iii) other officers as it considers appropriate.
[(f)] (g) The division may designate a representative to provide technical advice to the
board regarding division policy and procedure.
(3) With regard to each child in its custody, the division shall:
(a) provide the appropriate [boards] board with access to all records maintained by the
division[,]; and [shall]
(b) ensure that each appropriate board is provided with the entire case file regarding each

of its pertinent cases.
(4) (a) In districts or areas where foster care citizen review boards [have been] are
established, a periodic [reviews either by the court or by a foster care citizen review board,]
review shall be conducted by the court or a board with regard to each child in the division's
custody:
(i) no less frequently than once every six months, in accordance with:
(A) Section 78-3a-313 ; and
(B) 42 U.S.C. Sections 675(5) and (6)[.]; and
(ii) until the court terminates the state's custody of the child.
(b) In cases where the court has conducted a six month review hearing, a [foster care
citizen review] board shall also conduct a review within [12] 18 months from the date of the
child's removal from [his] the child's home.
[(b)] (c) In accordance with federal law and with Subsection 78-3a-314 (1), a periodic
[reviews] review conducted by [foster care citizen review boards] a board shall be open to the
participation of the child's:
(i) natural parents[,];
(ii) foster parents[,];
(iii) preadoptive parents[,]; and
(iv) any relative providing care for the child.
(d) Notice of the periodic review described in this Subsection (4) shall be provided to
[those persons] each person described in Subsection (4)(c) pursuant to Subsection 78-3a-314 (1).
[(c)] (e) At each periodic review, [foster care citizen review boards] the board shall:
(i) provide opportunities for separate interviews with parents and foster parents in each
case; and
(ii) conduct an individual interview with each affected child who is old enough to
participate in an interview, unless the child affirmatively chooses not to participate. [At]
(f) A child who is interviewed under Subsection (4)(e)(ii) may, at the child's request, [he
may] be accompanied by a support person of [his] the child's choice, [so long as] provided that

the support person is not an alleged perpetrator.
[(d)] (g) Boards may review additional abuse, neglect, or dependency cases or plans at
the request of the court.
(5) [Each] Following the periodic review described in Subsection (4), the board shall
prepare a dispositional report regarding the child's case and plan. The periodic review and the
dispositional report shall:
(a) be consistent with [the provisions of]:
(i) Title 62A, Chapter 4a, Child and Family Services[,]; and
(ii) Title 78, Chapter 3a, Part 3, Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency Proceedings[,]; and
[shall]
(b) include at least the following considerations:
[(a)] (i) the extent to which the plan's objectives [have been] are implemented or
accomplished by the:
(A) parent[, the];
(B) child[,]; and [the]
(C) division;
[(b)] (ii) (A) whether revisions to the plan are needed[,]; and [if so,]
(B) if revisions are needed, how the plan should be revised;
[(c)] (iii) the extent to which the division has provided the services and interventions
described in the plan[, and];
(iv) whether [those] the services and interventions described in Subsection (5)(b)(iii) are
assisting, or will assist, the parent and child to achieve the plan's objectives within the statutory
time limitations;
[(d)] (v) the extent to which the parent and child have willingly and actively participated
in the interventions described in the plan;
[(e)] (vi) the continuing necessity for and appropriateness of the child's placement;
[(f)] (vii) the extent of progress [that has been] made toward alleviating or mitigating the
causes necessitating the child's removal or continued placement;

[(g)] (viii) the primary permanency goal [and] for the child;
(ix) the concurrent permanency goal for the child [and,];
(x) if a final permanency plan has been established, an opinion regarding the
appropriateness of that permanency plan; [and]
[(h)] (xi) a determination regarding whether the statutory time limitations described in
Title 78, Chapter 3a, Part 3, [have been] are met, [specifically,] including whether the 12 month
limitation on reunification services required by Section 78-3a-311 [has been] is complied with[.
The board shall also render an]; and
(xii) the board's opinion regarding when it estimates that the child will achieve
permanency.
(6) (a) [Each] Within 30 days after a case is reviewed by the board, the board shall
submit [its] the dispositional report described in Subsection (5) to:
(i) the court[,];
(ii) the division[,]; and [to]
(iii) all parties to an action [within 30 days after a case is reviewed by the board].
(b) The [board's] dispositional report shall be filed with the court, and shall be made a
part of the court's legal file.
(c) The dispositional report described in Subsection (5):
(i) shall be received and reviewed by the court in the same manner as the court receives
and reviews the reports described in Section 78-3a-505 [. The report by a board,];
(ii) if determined to be an ex parte communication with a judge, shall be considered a
communication authorized by law[. Foster care citizen review board dispositional reports]; and
(iii) may be:
(A) received as evidence[,]; and [may be]
(B) considered by the court along with other evidence.
(d) The court may require any person who participated in the dispositional report
described in Subsection (5) to appear as a witness if the person is reasonably available.
[(c) Whenever a court makes a determination or finding it shall provide for notice to the

committee regarding that determination or finding. The committee shall provide that information
to the applicable board.]
(e) (i) For cases subject to review by a board pursuant to this section, the committee shall
have access to the following court records:
(A) findings;
(B) orders;
(C) other determinations; and
(D) records regarding the time and purpose of hearings.
(ii) The committee shall provide to the appropriate board the information obtained under
Subsection (6)(e)(i) that is relevant to a review conducted by the board.
(7) (a) [Members of boards] Except as provided in Subsection (7)(b), a member of a
board may not receive:
(i) financial compensation or benefits for [their] the member's services[. Members may
not receive]; or
(ii) per diem or expenses for [their] the member's service[, except that: (a) members].
(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (7)(a), a member may be:
(i) reimbursed for mileage on days that [they are] the member is involved in training, at
rates established by the Division of Finance; and
[(b) members may be]
(ii) provided with a meal on days that [they serve] the member serves on a board.
(8) [Boards are] A board is authorized to receive funds from public and private grants
and donations in accordance with the requirements described in Subsection 78-3g-102 (8).
(9) [In districts or areas where foster care citizen review boards have not been] In a
district or area where a board has not been established, either the court or the Division of Child
and Family Services shall conduct the reviews in accordance with the provisions of [Subsections
(4)(a) and (b),] Subsection (4) and Section 78-3a-313 .