DCS; periodic review hearing; report

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details about advocacy or recommendations in DCS reports.

DCS; Periodic Review Hearing Report

This bill requires the Department of Child Safety (DCS) to file and distribute a fact-based report at least 15 days before any periodic review hearing for dependent children.

What This Bill Does

• Requires DCS to file and distribute a fact-based written report with the court and provide it to all parties involved in a case at least 15 days before a periodic review hearing.
• Specifies that if the report contains advocacy or recommendations, the court must view it favorably towards the parties not filing the report.
• Requires the report to include information about the child's placement, services provided, progress towards goals, and whether the child continues to be dependent.

Who It Names or Affects

• Dependent children in Arizona's care system
• Parents and guardians involved in DCS cases
• Foster parents and other caregivers
• The Department of Child Safety (DCS)

Terms To Know

Periodic Review Hearing

A court hearing held at least every six months to review the status of a dependent child's case.

Fact-Based Report

A written document that provides factual information about a child’s placement, services received, and progress towards goals.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify the exact content of advocacy or recommendations in DCS reports.
• There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Official Summary Text

SB1146 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

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ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
s.b. 1146

DCS;
periodic review hearing; report

Purpose

Requires the
Department of Child Safety (DCS) to file a fact-based written report with the
court and provide the report to all parties at least 15 days before a periodic
review hearing.

Background

After receiving
and considering the evidence on the disposition of a case, the court may place
a dependent child in the care of the child's parents, subject to the
supervision of DCS. If the placement with the child's parents is contrary to
the child's welfare, the court may place the child with outlined persons or
entities, in accordance with the child's best interests. In reviewing the
status of the child and in determining the order of disposition, the court must
consider: 1) the health and safety of the child as a paramount concern; 2) the
goals of the family and appropriateness of the case plan; 3) the services that
have been offered to reunite the family; 4) if returning the child home is not
likely, the efforts that have been or should be made to evaluate or plan for
other permanent placement plans; and 5) the efforts that have been made or
should be made to place the child with the child's siblings or to provide
frequent visitation or contact when placement with siblings has not been
possible (
A.R.S.
� 8-845
).

After the
disposition hearing, the court must hold periodic review hearings at least once
every six months as required by federal law to determine whether DCS has
identified and assessed placement of the child and whether the parent or
guardian has complied with the court order to provide information about persons
who are related to or have a significant relationship with the child (
A.R.S.
� 8-847
).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state
General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1.

Requires DCS to file a fact-based written report with the court and
provide a copy to all required parties at least 15 days before any periodic
review hearing.

2.

Requires the court, if the report contains any advocacy or
recommendations, to view the report in the light most favorable to the parties
that did not file the report.

3.

Requires
the report to provide the following information:

a)

the placement of the child;

b)

the services being provided to the child and the child's family,
including the child's educational needs;

c)

the progress made in achieving the child's case plan goals; and

d)

whether
the child continues to be dependent.

4.

Makes technical and conforming changes.

5.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Prepared by Senate Research

February 16, 2026

MM/SDR/hk

Current Bill Text

SB1146 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

DCS; periodic review
hearing; report

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1146

AN
ACT

amending section 8-847, arizona
revised statutes; relating to dependent children.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 8-847, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
8-847.

Periodic review hearings

A. After the disposition hearing, the court shall
hold periodic review hearings at least once every six months as required by
federal law.

B. At a proceeding to review the disposition orders
of the court, the court shall provide the following persons notice of the
review and the right to participate in the proceeding:

1. The authorized agency charged with the child's
care and custody.

2. Any foster parents in whose home the child
resided within the last six months or resides at present, except for those
foster parents who maintain a receiving foster home where the child has resided
for ten days or less.� The petitioner shall provide the court with the names
and addresses of all foster parents who are entitled to notice pursuant to
statute.

3. A shelter care facility or receiving foster home
where the child resides or has resided within the last six months for more than
ten days.� The petitioner shall provide the court with the names and addresses
of all shelter care facilities and receiving foster homes that are entitled to
notice pursuant to this paragraph.

4. The child's parent or guardian unless the
parental rights of that parent or guardian have been terminated by court action
or unless the parent has relinquished rights to the child to an agency or has
consented to the adoption of the child as provided in section 8-107.

5. The child, if twelve years of age or older.

6. The child's relative, as defined in section 8-501,
if that relative files a written notice of right of participation with the
court.

7. A person permitted by the court to intervene as a
party in the dependency proceeding.

8. A physical custodian of the child within the
preceding six months.

9. Any person who has filed a petition to adopt or
who has physical custody pursuant to a court order in a foster-adoptive
placement.

10. Any other person as the court may direct.

C. At least fifteen days before any
periodic review hearing, the department shall file a fact-based report
with the court and provide a copy of the report to all of the parties.� If the
department's report contains advocacy or recommendations, the court shall view
the report in the light most favorable to the parties that have not filed the
report.� The report shall contain all of the following information:

1. The placement of the child.

2. The services being provided to the
child and the child's family, including the child's educational needs.

3. The progress made in achieving the
child's case plan goals.

4. Whether the child continues to be
dependent.

C.

D.
At
the first periodic review hearing, the court shall consider whether a parent of
a child who is under three years of age has substantially neglected or wilfully
refused to participate in reunification services offered by the department.

D.

E.
At
any periodic review hearing, the court shall consider the health and safety of
the child as a paramount concern.

E.

F.
At
any periodic review hearing the court shall determine:

1. Whether the department has identified and
assessed placement of the child with a relative or person who has a significant
relationship with the child.

2. Whether the parent or guardian has complied with
the court order pursuant to section 8-824, subsection
D

E
, paragraph
6

7

or
provided the information described in
section
8-842
,
subsection B, paragraph 1.

F.

G.
If
the court finds that a child is no longer dependent, before it dismisses the proceeding
the court shall provide notice of the sibling information exchange program
established pursuant to section 8-543 to the following:

1. An adult who is the former dependent child in the
proceeding for whom the periodic review hearing is held.

2. A parent or guardian with legal custody of the
former dependent child for whom the periodic review hearing is held.
END_STATUTE