26-8A-26. Termination of parental rights--Return of child to parents or continued placement--Annual permanency hearing for child in foster care.
If an adjudicated, abused, or neglected child whose parental rights have not been terminated has been in the custody of the Department of Social Services and it appears at a dispositional or review hearing that all reasonable efforts have been made to rehabilitate the family, that the conditions which led to the removal of the child still exist, and there is little likelihood that those conditions will be remedied so the child can be returned to the custody of the child's parents, the court shall affirmatively find that good cause exists for termination of the parental rights of the child's parents and the court shall enter an order terminating parental rights. If the court does not find at the hearing, which shall be conducted in the same manner as a dispositional hearing, that good cause exists for termination of parental rights, the court may make further disposition of the child as follows:
(1)Return custody of the child to the child's parents, guardian, or custodian, with or without supervision during which the court may require the parent, guardian, custodian, and any other adult residing in the home, to cooperate with home visits by the department and may require the parent, guardian, custodian, and any other adult residing in the home, to submit, at the request of the department, to tests for alcohol, marijuana, or any controlled drug or substance. If the adjudication of abuse or neglect was related to the use of alcohol, marijuana, or any controlled drug or substance, the parent, guardian, or custodian, and any other adult residing in the home, may be required, in those areas where such testing is available, to submit to regular tests for alcohol, marijuana, or any controlled drug or substance. If a positive test for alcohol, marijuana, or any controlled drug or substance is obtained, or if the person fails to submit to the test as required, the department may immediately remove the child from the physical custody of the parent, guardian, custodian, or any other adult residing in the home whose test was positive or who failed to submit to the test, without prior court order subject to a review hearing, which may be telephonic, within forty-eight hours excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and court holidays. As used herein, any controlled drug or substance means a controlled drug or substance which was not lawfully prescribed by a practitioner as authorized by chapters 22-42 and 34-20B;
(2)Continue foster care placement of the child for a specified period of time, and, if the child is sixteen years of age or older, direct the department to determine the services needed to assist the child to make the transition from foster care to independent living and, if appropriate, provide a plan for independent living for the child;
(3)Place the child who is sixteen years of age or older in the custody of the department or a child placement agency, with or without guardianship of the child, in another planned permanent living arrangement following a determination that a compelling reason exists that the placement is more appropriate than adoption or with a relative or with a legal guardian other than the department and under a court-approved plan that determines visitation rights of the child's parents, guardian, or custodian. Under this subdivision, the court may retain jurisdiction of the action and proceedings for future consideration of termination of parental rights if termination of parental rights is the least restrictive alternative available in keeping with the best interests of the child.
In no case may a child remain in foster care for a period in excess of twelve months from the time the child entered foster care without the court holding a permanency hearing and making a dispositional decree setting forth one of the above options. The court shall review the child's permanency status and make a dispositional decree every twelve months thereafter as long as the child continues in the custody of the department. The court shall determine whether the state has made reasonable efforts to finalize the permanency plan that is in effect. That determination shall be included in the dispositional decree.
Source: SL 1981, ch 203, §2; SL 1991, ch 217, §135B; SDCL §26-8-35.2; SL 1992, ch 183, §§12, 20; SL 1997, ch 160, §1; SL 1998, ch 161, §3; SL 1999, ch 137, §3; SL 2001, ch 142, §3; SL 2007, ch 4, §14; SL 2016, ch 145, §3.