Maryland Family Law Section 5-324

CAUTION: READ FULL TEXT OF SECTION FOR SPECIAL NOTE

      The court may not enter a final decree for adoption or for guardianship of an individual before the later of:

            (1)      30 days after the birth of the individual; or

            (2)      the time period for revocation of consent to adopt under § 5-311(c)(1) of this subtitle or revocation of consent to a guardianship under § 5-317(e) of this subtitle has run.

** SPECIAL NOTE: EFFECTIVE - JANUARY 1, 2006 - CHAPTER 464 - 2005 **

      (a)      In an order denying guardianship of a child, a juvenile court shall include:

            (1)      a specific factual finding on whether reasonable efforts have been made to finalize the child's permanency plan;

            (2)      any order under Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the Courts Article in the child's best interests; and

            (3)      a date, no later than 180 days after the date of the order, for the next review hearing under Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the Courts Article.

      (b)      (1)      In an order granting guardianship of a child, a juvenile court:

                  (i)      shall include a directive terminating the child's CINA case;

                  (ii)      consistent with the child's best interests:

                        1.      may place the child:

                        A.      subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, in a specific type of facility; or

                        B.      with a specific individual;

                        2.      may direct provision of services by a local department to:

                        A.      the child; or

                        B.      the child's caregiver;

                        3.      subject to a local department retaining legal guardianship, may award to a caregiver limited authority to make an emergency or ordinary decision as to the child's care, education, mental or physical health, or welfare;

                        4.      may allow access to a medical or other record of the child;

                        5.      may allow visitation for the child with a specific individual;

                        6.      may appoint, or continue the appointment of, a court-appointed special advocate for any purpose set forth under § 3-830 of the Courts Article;

                        7.      shall direct the provision of any other service or taking of any other action as to the child's education, health, and welfare, including:

                        A.      for a child who is at least 16 years old, services needed to help the child's transition from guardianship to independence; or

                        B.      for a child with a disability, services to obtain ongoing care, if any, needed after the guardianship case ends; and

                        8.      may co-commit the child to the custody of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and order the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to provide a plan for the child of clinically appropriate services in the least restrictive setting, in accordance with federal and State law;

                  (iii)      if entered under § 5-322 of this subtitle, shall state each party's response to the petition;

                  (iv)      shall state a specific factual finding on whether reasonable efforts have been made to finalize the child's permanency plan;

                  (v)      shall state whether the child's parent has waived the right to notice; and

                  (vi)      shall set a date, no later than 180 days after the date of the order, for the initial guardianship review hearing under § 5-326 of this subtitle.

            (2)      (i)      Except for emergency commitment in accordance with § 10-617 of the Health - General Article or as expressly authorized by a juvenile court in accordance with the standards in § 3-819(h) or (i) of the Courts Article, a child may not be committed or otherwise placed for inpatient care or treatment in a psychiatric facility or a facility for the developmentally disabled.

                  (ii)      A juvenile court shall include in a commitment order under this paragraph a requirement that the guardian:

                        1.      file a progress report with the juvenile court at least every 180 days; and

                        2.      provide a copy of each report to each person entitled to notice of a review hearing under § 5-326 of this subtitle.

                  (iii)      Every 180 days during a commitment or placement under this paragraph, a juvenile court shall hold a hearing to determine whether the standards in § 3-819(h) or (i) of the Courts Article continue to be met.