Effective Date: 1-30-2026
4.7.3 Timely Action
- When a safety issue is identified, the team must take immediate action to ensure the child’s safety.
- When a decision is made that requires action from a team member, tasks must be assigned to a team member with a target completion date to ensure the action is completed timely.
- The team must be proactive in identifying appropriate placement and back-up placement for the child.
- When a determination is made that a child’s permanency goal is no longer in the child’s best interest or cannot be obtained and a hearing is not scheduled to occur within 30 days, the worker must request the JO, GAL or CD attorney file a motion to expedite the Permanency or Permanency Review Hearing.
- The team must ensure actions are taken timely to transition the child to the care of a parent or guardian (with court approval) at the earliest determination that the conditions for return are met, and the child can remain safe in the care of a parent or guardian.
- The team must ensure:
- When the goal is reunification, that a recommendation is made timely to the court to terminate jurisdiction when the conditions for case closure have been met.
- When the goal is not reunification, that the team is taking continuous and timely action to meet the conditions for case closure. When conditions for case closure have been met, the team must ensure a recommendation is made timely to the court to terminate jurisdiction.
- When a hearing is not scheduled to occur within 30 days, the worker must request the JO, GAL or CD attorney file a motion to expedite the Permanency or Permanency Review Hearing.
- The team must collaborate to address barriers which delay finalization of the child’s permanency goal.