§ 43-297.01. Office of Probation Administration; duties; initial placement and level of care; court order; review; notice of placement change; hearing; exception; foster care placement; participation in proceedings.

(1) Following an adjudication, whenever any juvenile is placed on juvenile probation subject to the supervision of a probation officer, the Office of Probation Administration is deemed to have placement and care responsibility for the juvenile. (2) The court shall order the initial placement and level of care for the juvenile placed on juvenile probation. Prior to determining the placement and level of care for a juvenile, the court may solicit a recommendation from the Office of Probation Administration. The status of each juvenile placed out-of-home shall be reviewed periodically, but not less than once every six months by the court in person, by video, or telephonically. Periodic reviews shall assess the juvenile's safety and the continued necessity and appropriateness of placement, ensure case plan compliance, and monitor the juvenile's progress. The court shall determine whether an out-of-home placement made by the office is in the best interests of the juvenile. The office shall provide all interested parties with a copy of any report filed with the court by the office pursuant to this subsection. (3) The Office of Probation Administration may transition a juvenile to a less restrictive placement or to a placement which has the same level of restriction as the current placement. In order to make a placement change under this section, the office shall file a notice of placement change with the court and shall send copies of the notice to all interested parties at least seven days before the change of placement. The court, on its own motion, or upon the filing of an objection to the change by an interested party, may order a hearing to review such a change in placement and may order that the change be stayed pending the outcome of the hearing on the objection. (4) The Office of Probation Administration may make an immediate change in placement without court approval only if the juvenile is in a harmful or dangerous situation. Approval of the court shall be sought within twenty-four hours after making the change in placement or as soon thereafter as possible. The office shall provide all interested parties with a copy of any report filed with the court by the office pursuant to this subsection. (5) Whenever the court places a juvenile in a foster care placement as defined in section 43-1301, the Foster Care Review Office or designated local foster care review board may participate in proceedings concerning the juvenile as provided in section 43-1313 and notice shall be given as provided in section 43-1314. (6) Any written findings or recommendations of the Foster Care Review Office or the designated local foster care review board with regard to a juvenile in a foster care placement submitted to a court having jurisdiction over such juvenile shall be admissible in any proceeding concerning such juvenile if such findings or recommendations have been provided to all other parties of record. (7) Nothing in this section prevents the court on an ex parte basis from approving an immediate change in placement upon good cause shown. History: Laws 2014, LB464, § 23; Laws 2015, LB265, § 5.