Children in Need of Assistance - Permanency Plan Requirements

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb1383*

HOUSE BILL 1383
D4 6lr3324

By: Delegate Guyton
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 6, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Children in Need of Assistance – Permanency Plan Requirements 2

FOR the purpose of altering certain provisions relating to the juvenile court’s 3
determination of a permanency plan for a certain child in need of assistance or a 4
guardianship review hearing; and generally relating to children in need of assistance 5
and permanency plans. 6

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 8
Section 3–816.1(b) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13

Article – Courts and Judicial Proceedings 14

3–816.1. 15

(b) (1) In a hearing conducted in accordance with § 3–815, § 3–817, § 3–819, or 16
§ 3–823 of this subtitle, the court shall make a finding whether the local department made 17
reasonable efforts to prevent placement of the child into the local department’s custody. 18

2 HOUSE BILL 1383

(2) In a review hearing conducted in accordance with § 3–823 of this 1
subtitle or § 5–326 of the Family Law Article, the court shall make a finding whether a 2
local department made reasonable efforts to: 3

(i) Finalize the permanency plan in effect for the child; 4

(ii) Meet the INDIVIDUALIZED needs of the child, including the 5
child’s [health, education, safety, and preparation]: 6

1. HEALTH, MEDICAL, AND DENTAL NEEDS INC LUDING 7
ENSURING THAT THE NEEDS ARE TIMELY MET; 8

2. EDUCATION NEEDS AND E DUCATIONAL PLAN , 9
INCLUDING THE TIMELY ENROLLMENT OF THE CH ILD IN AN EDUCATIONA L 10
PROGRAM AND THE EFFO RTS TO INFORM THE CH ILD OF POSTSECONDARY 11
EDUCATION OR VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS; 12

3. SAFETY; 13

4. EMOTIONAL STABILITY A ND THE TIMELINESS OF 14
THERAPEUTIC REFERRALS OR SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE CHILD; 15

5. PHYSICAL PLACEMENT , INCLUDING THE STABIL ITY 16
AND APPROPRIATENESS OF THE PLACEMENT AND HOUSING NEEDS OF THE CHILD 17
AFTER THE CASE IS TERMINATED; 18

6. SOCIALIZATION NEEDS , INCLUDING THE CHILD ’S 19
ENROLLMENT IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES OR PROGRAMS; 20

7. FINANCIAL NEEDS , INCLUDING THE CHILD ’S NEED 21
FOR FINANCIAL AWARENESS TO ENSURE FUTURE SELF–SUFFICIENCY; 22

8. NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING THE CHILD ’S 23
BIRTH CERTIFICATE, SOCIAL SECURITY CARD , PASSPORT, DRIVER’S LICENSE , OR 24
STATE–ISSUED IDENTIFICATION CARD; AND 25

9. PREPARATION for independence; and 26

(iii) For a child who is at least 18 years of age: 27

1. Before the child is emancipated, enroll the child in health 28
insurance that will continue after the child is emancipated; 29

2. Before the child is emancipated, screen the child for 30
eligibility for public benefits and assist the child with applications for public benefits; 31
HOUSE BILL 1383 3

3. Work with appropriate individuals to establish a plan for 1
stable housing that is reasonably expected to remain available to the child for at least 12 2
months after the date of emancipation; and 3

4. Work with appropriate individuals to engage the chil d in 4
education, training, or employment activities that will prepare the child to have 5
appropriate and sufficient income to live independently after emancipation. 6

(3) In a hearing conducted in accordance with § 3–815, § 3–817, or § 3–819 7
of this subtitl e, before determining whether a child with a developmental disability or a 8
mental illness is a child in need of assistance, the court shall make a finding whether the 9
local department made reasonable efforts to prevent placement of the child into the local 10
department’s custody by determining whether the local department could have placed the 11
child in accordance with a voluntary placement agreement under § 5–525(b)(1)(i) or (iii) of 12
the Family Law Article. 13

(4) The court shall require a local department to provide evidence of its 14
efforts before the court makes a finding required under this subsection. 15

(5) The court’s finding under this subsection shall assess the efforts made 16
since the last adjudication of reasonable efforts and may not rely on findings from prior 17
hearings. 18

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 19
October 1, 2026. 20

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.