Section 1039-B. Termination of reasonable efforts  


Latest version.
  • (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 if the
      social services official has documented to the court a compelling reason
      for determining that it would not be in the best interests of the  child
    
      to  return  home,  be  referred  for  termination of parental rights and
      placed for adoption, placed with a fit and willing relative,  or  placed
      with  a  legal  guardian.  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.