(a) In any case where a minor has been declared a ward of the juvenile court and has been in foster care for 15 of the most recent 22 months, the probation department shall follow the procedures described in Section 727.31 to terminate the parental rights of the minor’s parents, unless the probation department has documented in the probation department file a compelling reason for determining that termination of the parental rights would not be in the minor’s best interests, or the probation department has not provided the family with reasonable efforts necessary to achieve reunification. For purposes of this section, compelling reasons for not terminating parental rights are those described in subdivision (c) of Section 727.3.
(b) For the purposes of this section, 15 out of the 22 months shall be calculated from the “date entered foster care,” as defined in paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Section 727.4. When a minor experiences multiple exits from and entries into foster care during the 22-month period, the 15 months shall be calculated by adding together the total number of months the minor spent in foster care in the past 22 months. However, trial home visits and runaway episodes should not be included in calculating 15 months in foster care.
(c) If the probation department documented a compelling reason at the time of the permanency planning hearing, pursuant to subdivision (n) of Section 706.6, the probation department need not provide any additional documentation to comply with the requirements of this section.
(d) When the probation department sets a hearing pursuant to Section 727.31, it shall concurrently make efforts to identify an approved family for adoption, and follow the procedures described in subdivision (b) of Section 727.31.
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 497, Sec. 295. (AB 991) Effective January 1, 2020.)
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