Courts keep jurisdiction over some young adults in extended foster care, hold review hearings every six months, and the department must file a service plan and report before hearings.
Sec. 263.602. EXTENDED JURISDICTION. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (f), a court that had jurisdiction over a young adult on the day before the young adult's 18th birthday continues to have extended jurisdiction over the young adult and shall retain the case on the court's docket while the young adult is in extended foster care and during trial independence as described by Section 263.6015. (b) A court with extended jurisdiction over a young adult in extended foster care shall conduct extended foster care review hearings every six months for the purpose of reviewing and making findings regarding: (1) whether the young adult's living arrangement is safe and appropriate and whether the department has made reasonable efforts to place the young adult in the least restrictive environment necessary to meet the young adult's needs; (2) whether the department is making reasonable efforts to finalize the permanency plan that is in effect for the young adult, including a permanency plan for independent living; (3) whether, for a young adult whose permanency plan is independent living: (A) the young adult participated in the development of the plan of service; (B) the young adult's plan of service reflects the independent living skills and appropriate services needed to achieve independence by the projected date; and (C) the young adult continues to make reasonable progress in developing the skills needed to achieve independence by the projected date; and (4) whether additional services that the department is authorized to provide are needed to meet the needs of the young adult. (c) Not later than the 10th day before the date set for a hearing under this section, the department shall file with the court a copy of the young adult's plan of service and a report that addresses the issues described by Subsection (b). (d) Notice of an extended foster care review hearing shall be given as provided by Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, to the following persons, each of whom has a right to present evidence and be heard at the hearing: (1) the young adult who is the subject of the suit; (2) the department; (3) the foster parent with whom the young adult is placed and the administrator of a child-placing agency responsible for placing the young adult, if applicable; (4) the director of the residential child-care facility or other approved provider with whom the young adult is placed, if applicable; (5) each parent of the young adult whose parental rights have not been terminated and who is still actively involved in the life of the young adult; (6) a legal guardian of the young adult, if applicable; and (7) the young adult's attorney ad litem, guardian ad litem, and volunteer advocate, the appointment of which has not been previously dismissed by the court. (e) If, after reviewing the young adult's plan of service and the report filed under Subsection (c), and any additional testimony and evidence presented at the review hearing, the court determines that the young adult is entitled to additional services, the court may order the department to take appropriate action to ensure that the young adult receives those services. (f) Unless the court extends its jurisdiction over a young adult beyond the end of trial independence as provided by Section 263.6021(a) or 263.603(a), the court's extended jurisdiction over a young adult as described in Subsection (a) terminates on the earlier of: (1) the last day of the month in which trial independence ends; or (2) the young adult's 21st birthday. (g) A court with extended jurisdiction described by this section is not required to conduct periodic hearings described in this section for a young adult during trial independence and may not compel a young adult who has elected to not enter or has exited extended foster care to attend a court hearing. A court with extended jurisdiction during trial independence may, at the request of a young adult, conduct a hearing described by Subsection (b) or by Section 263.6021 to review any transitional living services the young adult is receiving during trial independence. Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 96 (H.B. 704), Sec. 1, eff. May 23, 2009. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 79), Sec. 11.02, eff. September 28, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 4 (S.B. 1), Sec. 63.02, eff. September 28, 2011. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 456 (S.B. 886), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2013.