Art. 1146.  Permanency planning; review hearings; counsel for child

A.  If no permanent placement has been made by the department within ninety days after a voluntary surrender to a child care agency, review hearings shall be held in accordance with the provisions of Chapters 15 and 16 of Title VI of this Code.

B.  When the department is not the legal custodian of the child review hearings shall be held as follows:

(1)  A review hearing shall be held within ninety days after the filing of a surrender if a petition for adoption has not  been filed.  The court may waive the hearing if it has received and is satisfied with the placement report required by Article 1144.

(2)  If the hearing is waived, a review hearing shall be held within ninety days of the initial waiver, unless an updated placement report is accepted by the court, or a petition for adoption has been filed.

(3)  In any case, a review hearing shall be held within nine months of the filing of the surrender and at least once every six months thereafter until a petition for adoption has been filed or until the court determines that the child is in a permanent placement.

(4)  The court may schedule such other review hearings as it deems necessary to ensure the permanency of the child's placement.

C.  Any attorney previously appointed to represent the child shall continue to represent the child in all subsequent review hearings until the child is permanently placed.  If no attorney was previously appointed, the court shall appoint an attorney to represent the child for the purpose of facilitating permanent placement by the department.  When the department is not the legal custodian of the child, the court may appoint an attorney to represent the child if necessary for the best interest of the child.

D.  The attorney appointed to represent the child shall also be responsible for reviewing and submitting a recommendation to the court regarding any agreement for post-adoption continuing contact that is filed for approval in accordance with Chapter 14-A of Title XII.

E.  The court, at a permanency review hearing, shall inform the child of the provisions of Chapter 11 of Title X of this Code.

Acts 1991, No. 235, §11, eff. Jan. 1, 1992; Acts 1999, No. 1062, §3, eff. Jan. 1, 2000; Acts 2001, No. 567, §1; Acts 2001, No. 568, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2002; Acts 2008, No. 436, §1.