The second finding concerns whether 

• reasonable efforts were made by the state to prevent or eliminate the need for removal of the child from the home  

• reasonable efforts to prevent or eliminate the need for removal of the child from the home were not possible, or  

• reasonable efforts were not made.  

The Affidavit Seeking Out-of-Home Placement of Child (DCF-1999) shall be filed whenever the Department is seeking an Order of Temporary Custody, an Order of Commitment and/or an Order Terminating Parental Rights pursuant to a co-terminous petition. 

The DCF-1999 shall be signed by the Social Worker under oath in the presence of a notary public and shall be presented to the court with the other accompanying documents. 

The following are special instructions to complete  Section # 2 of the DCF-1999. 

The Social Worker shall list all services provided or available to the family.  Examples of services include, but are not limited to, the following: 

·          protective services

·          inpatient or outpatient substance abuse treatment

·          individual counseling

·          housing services

·          visitation between parents and siblings

·          transportation to visits, and

·          parenting classes. 

The following reasonable efforts findings are required for Title IV reimbursement purposes: 

·          continuation in the home is contrary to the welfare of the child, and 

·          efforts to prevent removal were made or not possible. 

These findings must be made once in the case.  If the court has already made the finding in an earlier proceeding that has not yet been disposed, the court does not need to make them again.  For example, if a finding was made at the commitment hearing,  there is no need to make a finding at the time of the hearing for termination of parental rights. 

The DCF-1999 shall not be used for the finding of Reasonable Efforts to Achieve Permanency. The permanency finding shall be made every twelve (12) months while the child is in the Department’s care, regardless of the child’s legal status. 

Cross-reference:  Policies 46-3-22, Motion for Review of Permanency Plan; and  46-3-9,  Types of Petitions and Motions. 

Depending on the type of order, the court findings are entered on the 

• Affidavit Seeking Out-of-Home Placement of Child (DCF-1999)

• Adjudicatory/Dispositional Orders (JD-JM-65), or

• Order, Co-Termination of Parental Rights and
  Appointment of Statutory Parent/Guardian (JD-JM 31A).   

It is imperative that the judge signs the DCF-1999 and that one of the boxes in the form is selected within sixty (60) days of the date the child is first placed in out-of-home care.