<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="5-324" title_number="5" title_name="Children" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Guardianship to and Adoption Through Local Department">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In a separate order accompanying an order denying guardianship of a child, a juvenile court shall include:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>a specific factual finding on whether reasonable efforts have been made to finalize the child’s permanency plan;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>any order under Title 3, Subtitle 8 of the Courts Article in the child’s best interests; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>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.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In a separate order accompanying an order granting guardianship of a child, a juvenile court:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>shall include a directive terminating the child’s CINA case;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>consistent with the child’s best interests:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>may place the child:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="A">
          <text>subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, in a specific type of facility; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>with a specific individual;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>may direct provision of services by a local department to:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="A">
          <text>the child; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>the child’s caregiver;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>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;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>may allow access to a medical or other record of the child;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="5">
          <text>may allow visitation for the child with a specific individual;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="6">
          <text>may appoint, or continue the appointment of, a court–appointed special advocate for any purpose set forth under § 3–830 of the Courts Article;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="7">
          <text>shall direct the provision of any other service or taking of any other action as to the child’s education, health, and welfare, including:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="A">
          <text>for a child who is at least 16 years old, services needed to help the child’s transition from guardianship to independence; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>for a child with a developmental disability, services to obtain ongoing care, if any, needed after the guardianship case ends; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="8">
          <text>may co–commit the child to the custody of the Maryland Department of Health and order the Maryland Department of Health to provide a plan for the child of clinically appropriate services in the least restrictive setting, in accordance with federal and State law;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>if entered under § 5–322 of this subtitle, shall state each party’s response to the petition;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>shall state a specific factual finding on whether reasonable efforts have been made to finalize the child’s permanency plan;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>shall state whether the child’s parent has waived the right to notice; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>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.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>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.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A juvenile court shall include in a commitment order under this paragraph a requirement that the guardian:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>file a progress report with the juvenile court at least every 180 days; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>provide a copy of each report to each person entitled to notice of a review hearing under § 5–326 of this subtitle.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>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.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A juvenile court shall send a copy of an order entered under this section to:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>each party or, if represented, counsel;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>each of the child’s living parents who has not waived the right to notice;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>each living parent’s last attorney of record in the CINA case; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the child’s last attorney of record in the CINA case.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>An order directing the provision of services to a child with a developmental disability under subsection (b)(1)(ii)7B of this section is effective until:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the child is transitioned to adult guardianship care if adult guardianship is necessary and there is no less restrictive alternative that meets the needs of the child; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>the Maryland Department of Health enters into an agreement to provide or obtain the services ordered by the court; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>if the Maryland Department of Health challenges the necessity of the services ordered by the court, the conclusion of any administrative or judicial review proceeding regarding the challenge.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
