Title LI, Unified Juvenile Code

for purposes of impeachment. Testimony offered by an alleged responsible parent or person exercising custodial control or supervision in an adjudication of a petition under this chapter for dependency, abuse, or neglect shall not be admissible in any criminal proceeding for charg…

(1) In any proceeding under this chapter, when the court is petitioned to remove or continue the removal of a child from the custody of his parent or other person exercising custodial control or supervision, the court shall first consider whether the child may be reasonably prote…

(1) In determining the disposition of all cases brought on behalf of dependent, neglected, or abused children, the juvenile session of the District Court or the family division of the Circuit Court, in the best interests of the child, shall have but shall not be limited to the fo…

kin caregiver of an abused, neglected, or dependent child -- Application timeframe for relative or fictive kin caregiver to become a relative or fictive kin foster parent. (1) The cabinet shall develop custodial, permanency, and service options, including but not limited to monet…

(1) Within sixty (60) days of the commitment date of a child due to abuse, neglect, or dependency, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services shall provide the court with jurisdiction an assessment of the child to determine: (a) The child's current and historical educational func…

remove a child of whom the cabinet has custody from school grounds. (1) If, as a result of dependency, neglect, or abuse, custody of a child is granted to the cabinet through an emergency, temporary, or permanent court order, the cabinet shall notify the principal or any assistan…

Following an order that a child shall be removed from his home, the cabinet shall establish such terms and conditions of visitation with the child after consultation with the parent or other person exercising custodial control or supervision of the child. If the parent or other p…

Any interested party aggrieved by a proceeding under KRS 610.010(2)(d) including the parent, child, guardian ad litem, the cabinet, and the county attorney may appeal from the juvenile court to the Circuit Court as a matter of right in the manner provided in the Kentucky Rules of…

Upon attaining majority, a person who was the subject of an action under this chapter may make a motion for the sealing of records relating to a petition filed under this chapter. In its discretion, the court may order the record unsealed for good cause shown.

(1) The cabinet may accept custody of a child who is voluntarily committed to the cabinet by the child's parent, guardian, or other person having legal custody. However, the cabinet shall refuse to accept any child on a voluntary commitment unless adequate facilities, funds, and …

(1) The cabinet may promulgate administrative regulations to implement the provisions of this chapter. The cabinet may also promulgate administrative regulations pursuant to the requirements of Public Law 96-272 as to the maximum number of children who at any time during a fiscal…

(1) There shall be established within each judicial district a citizen foster care review board to be appointed by the Chief District Judge or family court judge. The Chief District Judge or family court judge may authorize the creation of additional local citizen foster care rev…

(1) Secretarial and support services for each local citizen foster care review board may be provided by the District Court, or circuit clerk, or both, as ordered by the Chief District Judges or family court judges. (2) Local citizen foster care review boards may receive state and…

(1) Training shall be established, approved, and provided by the state citizen foster care review board and its staff as provided by KRS 620.320. (2) During the training session, each local citizen foster care review board member shall promise by oath given by the Chief District …

Review Board Program. (1) The clerk of the court shall forward to the Administrative Office of the Courts Citizen Foster Care Review Board Program a copy of each temporary custody order and commitment order or provide electronic notification in the manner prescribed by the Admini…

(1) For each child placed in the custody of the cabinet by an order of commitment, the cabinet shall file a case permanency plan for the child with the court and send a copy to the Administrative Office of the Courts Citizen Foster Care Review Board Program as soon as the plan is…

The cabinet shall file for each child a case progress report at least once every six (6) months with the court and the Administrative Office of the Courts Citizen Foster Care Review Board Program. The first case progress report after the child is placed in the custody of the cabi…

(1) Each local citizen foster care review board shall have access to all information and records of the cabinet pertinent to the parents or person exercising custodial control or supervision of the child assigned to the local board for review. Information and records shall includ…

Local citizen foster care review board members who have a conflict of interest shall not participate in such review.

forums. (1) Subject to the provisions of KRS 620.230, the local citizen foster care review board shall review the case of each child placed in the custody of the cabinet by an order of temporary custody or commitment by the court in the county or counties which the local board se…

Each local citizen foster care review board may request in writing employees of the cabinet or other agencies or organizations, on five (5) working days' notice, to appear at local board meetings when necessary to determine the progress made in placing the child in a permanent ho…

moved. The local citizen foster care review board shall submit to the court within fourteen (14) days of the six (6) month review its findings and recommendations. The findings and recommendations for each child under review shall include but need not be limited to: (1) Whether t…

(1) There is hereby established a State Citizen Foster Care Review Board. The State Citizen Foster Care Review Board shall consist of all chairmen of the local foster care review boards. (2) The State Citizen Foster Care Review Board shall biennially elect a chairman and vice cha…

The duties of the State Citizen Foster Care Review Board shall be to: (1) Establish, approve, and provide training programs for local citizen foster care review board members; (2) Review and coordinate the activities of local citizen foster care review boards; (3) Establish repor…

(1) Secretarial and support services for the State Citizen Foster Care Review Board may be provided by the Administrative Office of the Courts. (2) The State Citizen Foster Care Review Board may receive state and federal funds to insure total or partial funding of the board's act…

Each local citizen foster care review board shall forward annually to the State Citizen Foster Care Review Board a report and any recommendations regarding: (1) The policies and practices of the cabinet, the court, and other child-caring facilities and child-placing agencies whic…

investigation of abandonment -- Placement in foster home -- Inquiry to ensure that infant is not missing child -- Involuntary termination of parental rights. (1) As used in this section, "newborn infant" means an infant who is medically determined to be less than thirty (30) days…

(1) The cabinet shall make available standardized health, medical, and background information forms for use in gathering voluntary, nonidentifying information from a person who leaves an infant in accordance with KRS 405.075 and as required by KRS 216B.190. The materials shall cl…

investigating abuse or neglect in foster homes -- Foster parent approval -- Nonliability of cabinet. (1) Persons who provide foster care services to children who have been committed to the custody of the state shall be considered a primary partner and member of a professional tea…

A child who is placed in foster care shall be considered a primary partner and member of a professional team. A foster child, as the most integral part of the professional team, shall have the following rights to: (1) Adequate food, clothing, and shelter; (2) Freedom from physica…

family. (1) If the cabinet determines that a child, who is in the custody of the cabinet through an emergency, temporary, or permanent court order as a result of dependency, neglect, or abuse and is in foster care, should be moved from a current placement to a new placement or re…

As used in KRS 620.500 to 620.550, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Association" means the state Court-Appointed Special Advocate Association established in KRS 620.530, also known as the Kentucky CASA Network; (2) "Court" means family court or, if there is no family c…

Program director -- CASA volunteers. (1) For the purpose of providing an independent, efficient, and thorough representation for children who enter the court system as a result of dependency, abuse, or neglect, there may be established a court-appointed special advocate program b…

(1) Secretarial and support services for each CASA program may be provided by the family court, the District Court, the circuit clerk, or a combination thereof, as ordered by the chief judge of family court or, if none, then by the Chief District Judge. The Administrative Office …

(1) The Kentucky CASA network fund is hereby created as a separate trust fund. The fund shall be administered by the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet. (2) The fund shall receive amounts collected from the income tax checkoff established in KRS 141.449, and any other proceeds fro…

(1) A CASA volunteer shall meet the following minimum requirements: (a) Be at least twenty-one (21) years of age; (b) Be of good moral character; (c) Complete a written application providing the names of at least three (3) references; (d) Submit to a personal interview with progr…

(1) The clerk of the court shall: (a) Notify and provide a copy of all dependency, abuse, and neglect petitions to the program director, as soon as the court makes a referral to the program director for assignment of a CASA volunteer to the case; (b) Provide a copy of all court o…

(1) CASA volunteers who have a conflict of interest in a case shall not be appointed to the case. (2) The CASA volunteer shall: (a) Attend all court hearings except that the CASA volunteer may be excused by the court or the program director if emergency circumstances arise; (b) S…

(1) A state Court-Appointed Special Advocate Association shall be established. All CASA volunteers, local board members, program directors, and staff shall be eligible for membership in the association. Other categories of membership may be created by the association. (2) The ass…

The association shall: (1) Adopt and approve state standards for all CASA volunteers, program directors, and other staff, including, but not limited to, guidelines for training; (2) Adopt and approve the uniform annual data reporting procedures for local programs pursuant to KRS …

If the state board employs a full-time staff person to serve as the director of the association, then: (1) The state director shall be a person who by a combination of education, professional qualification, training, and experience is qualified to perform the duties of this posit…

(1) Secretarial and support services for the state board may be provided by the Administrative Office of the Courts. (2) The association may receive private funds, and local, state, and federal government funds to financially assist existing local CASA programs, assist local effo…

Each CASA program shall forward annually to the association and cabinet a report, pursuant to KRS 620.535(2) and KRS 620.505(2)(h), and any recommendations regarding the policies and practices of the court, the cabinet, and child-care facilities and child-placement agencies affec…

The cabinet shall notify the CASA volunteer, the CASA program, and the court when it schedules treatment planning conferences and reviews.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, any person intentionally violating the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. (2) The use of information by public officers and by defense counsel for purposes of investigation and trial of cases or o…

The Circuit Court shall have jurisdiction of proceedings under this chapter. In any case where the consent form under KRS 625.0403 is filed with the District Court, the District Court shall have jurisdiction of voluntary termination proceedings under this chapter.