Out-of-home placement — Disposition hearing — Court order — Dispositional plan — Child subject to contempt proceedings — Dismissal of order at request of department or parent.

RCW 13.32A.179
in effect
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(1) A disposition hearing shall be held no later than fourteen days after the approval of the temporary out-of-home placement. The parents, child, and department shall be notified by the court of the time and place of the hearing. (2) At the conclusion of the disposition hearing, the court may: (a) Reunite the family and dismiss the petition; (b) approve an at-risk youth petition filed by the parents and dismiss the child in need of services petition; (c) approve an out-of-home placement requested in the child in need of services petition by the parents; or (d) order an out-of-home placement at the request of the child or the department not to exceed ninety days. At any time the court may order the department to review the matter for purposes of filing a dependency petition under chapter 13.34 RCW. Whether or not the court approves or orders an out-of-home placement, the court may also order any conditions of supervision as set forth in RCW 13.32A.196 (3). (3) The court may only enter an order under subsection (2)(d) of this section if it finds by clear, cogent, and convincing evidence that: (a)(i) The order is in the best interest of the family; (ii) the parents have not requested an out-of-home placement; (iii) the parents have not exercised any other right listed in RCW 13.32A.160 (1)(e); (iv) the child has made reasonable efforts to resolve the problems that led to the filing of the petition; (v) the problems cannot be resolved by delivery of services to the family during continued placement of the child in the parental home; (vi) reasonable efforts have been made to prevent or eliminate the need for removal of the child from the child's home and to make it possible for the child to return home; and (vii) a suitable out-of-home placement resource is available; (b)(i) the order is in the best interest of the child; and (ii) the parents are unavailable; or (c) the parent's actions cause an imminent threat to the child's health or safety. (4) The court may order the department to submit a dispositional plan if such a plan would assist the court in ordering a suitable disposition in the case. The plan, if ordered, shall address the needs of the child, and the perceived needs of the parents if the order was entered under subsection (2)(d) of this section or if specifically agreed to by the parents. If the parents do not agree or the order was not entered under subsection (2)(d) of this section the plan may only make recommendations regarding services in which the parents may voluntarily participate. If the court orders the department to prepare a plan, the department shall provide copies of the plan to the parent, the child, and the court. If the parties or the court desire the department to be involved in any future proceedings or case plan development, the department shall be provided with timely notification of all court hearings. (5) A child who fails to comply with a court order issued under this section shall be subject to contempt proceedings, as provided in this chapter, but only if the noncompliance occurs within one year after the entry of the order. (6) After the court approves or orders an out-of-home placement, the parents or the department may request, and the court may grant, dismissal of the child in need of services proceeding when it is not feasible for the department to provide services due to one or more of the following circumstances: (a) The child has been absent from court approved placement for thirty consecutive days or more; (b) The parents or the child, or all of them, refuse to cooperate in available, appropriate intervention aimed at reunifying the family; or (c) The department has exhausted all available and appropriate resources that would result in reunification. (7) The court shall dismiss a placement made under subsection (2)(c) of this section upon the request of the parents. (1) A disposition hearing shall be held no later than fourteen days after the approval of the temporary out-of-home placement. The parents, child, and department shall be notified by the court of the time and place of the hearing. (2) At the conclusion of the disposition hearing, the court may: (a) Reunite the family and dismiss the petition; (b) approve an at-risk youth petition filed by the parents and dismiss the child in need of services petition; (c) approve an out-of-home placement requested in the child in need of services petition by the parents; or (d) order an out-of-home placement at the request of the child or the department not to exceed ninety days. At any time the court may order the department to review the matter for purposes of filing a dependency petition under chapter 13.34 RCW. Whether or not the court approves or orders an out-of-home placement, the court may also order any conditions of supervision as set forth in RCW 13.32A.196 (3). (3) The court may only enter an order under subsection (2)(d) of this section if it finds by clear, cogent, and convincing evidence that: (a)(i) The order is in the best interest of the family; (ii) the parents have not requested an out-of-home placement; (iii) the parents have not exercised any other right listed in RCW 13.32A.160 (1)(e); (iv) the child has made reasonable efforts to resolve the problems that led to the filing of the petition; (v) the problems cannot be resolved by delivery of services to the family during continued placement of the child in the parental home; (vi) reasonable efforts have been made to prevent or eliminate the need for removal of the child from the child's home and to make it possible for the child to return home; and (vii) a suitable out-of-home placement resource is available; (b)(i) the order is in the best interest of the child; and (ii) the parents are unavailable; or (c) the parent's actions cause an imminent threat to the child's health or safety. (4) The court may order the department to submit a dispositional plan if such a plan would assist the court in ordering a suitable disposition in the case. The plan, if ordered, shall address the needs of the child, and the perceived needs of the parents if the order was entered under subsection (2)(d) of this section or if specifically agreed to by the parents. If the parents do not agree or the order was not entered under subsection (2)(d) of this section the plan may only make recommendations regarding services in which the parents may voluntarily participate. If the court orders the department to prepare a plan, the department shall provide copies of the plan to the parent, the child, and the court. If the parties or the court desire the department to be involved in any future proceedings or case plan development, the department shall be provided with timely notification of all court hearings. (5) A child who fails to comply with a court order issued under this section shall be subject to contempt proceedings, as provided in this chapter, but only if the noncompliance occurs within one year after the entry of the order. (6) After the court approves or orders an out-of-home placement, the parents or the department may request, and the court may grant, dismissal of the child in need of services proceeding when it is not feasible for the department to provide services due to one or more of the following circumstances: (a) The child has been absent from court approved placement for thirty consecutive days or more; (b) The parents or the child, or all of them, refuse to cooperate in available, appropriate intervention aimed at reunifying the family; or (c) The department has exhausted all available and appropriate resources that would result in reunification. (7) The court shall dismiss a placement made under subsection (2)(c) of this section upon the request of the parents.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=13.32A&full=trueFetched: 6/28/2026

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