Section 706.6.

A case plan prepared as required by Section 706.5 shall be submitted to the court. It shall either be attached to the social study or incorporated as a separate section within the social study. The case plan shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:

(a) A description of the circumstances that resulted in the minor being placed under the supervision of the probation department and in foster care.

(b) An assessment of the minor's and family's strengths and needs and the type of placement best equipped to meet those needs.

(c) A description of the type of home or institution in which the minor is to be placed, including a discussion of the safety and appropriateness of the placement. An appropriate placement is a placement in the least restrictive, most family-like environment, in closest proximity to the minor's home, that meets the minor's best interests and special needs.

(d) Effective January 1, 2010, a case plan shall ensure the educational stability of the child while in foster care and shall include both of the following:

(1) Assurances that the placement takes into account the appropriateness of the current educational setting and the proximity to the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement.

(2) An assurance that the placement agency has coordinated with appropriate local educational agencies to ensure that the child remains in the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement, or, if remaining in that school is not in the best interests of the child, assurances by the placement agency and the local educational agency to provide immediate and appropriate enrollment in a new school and to provide all of the child's educational records to the new school.

(e) Specific time-limited goals and related activities designed to enable the safe return of the minor to his or her home, or in the event that return to his or her home is not possible, activities designed to result in permanent placement or emancipation. Specific responsibility for carrying out the planned activities shall be assigned to one or more of the following:

(1) The probation department.

(2) The minor's parent or parents or legal guardian or guardians, as applicable.

(3) The minor.

(4) The foster parents or licensed agency providing foster care.

(f) The projected date of completion of the case plan objectives and the date services will be terminated.

(g) Scheduled visits between the minor and his or her family and an explanation if no visits are made.

(h) (1) When placement is made in a foster family home, group home, or other child care institution that is either a substantial distance from the home of the minor's parent or legal guardian or out-of-state, the case plan shall specify the reasons why the placement is the most appropriate and is in the best interest of the minor.

(2) When an out-of-state group home placement is recommended or made, the case plan shall comply with Section 727.1 and Section 7911.1 of the Family Code. In addition, documentation of the recommendation of the multidisciplinary team and the rationale for this particular placement shall be included. The case plan shall also address what in-state services or facilities were used or considered and why they were not recommended.

(i) If applicable, efforts to make it possible to place siblings together, unless it has been determined that placement together is not in the best interest of one or more siblings.

(j) A schedule of visits between the minor and the probation officer, including a monthly visitation schedule for those children placed in group homes.

(k) Health and education information about the minor, school records, immunizations, known medical problems, and any known medications the minor may be taking, names and addresses of the minor's health and educational providers; the minor's grade level performance; assurances that the minor's placement in foster care takes into account proximity to the school in which the minor was enrolled at the time of placement; and other relevant health and educational information.

(l) When out-of-home services are used and the goal is reunification, the case plan shall describe the services that were provided to prevent removal of the minor from the home, those services to be provided to assist in reunification and the services to be provided concurrently to achieve legal permanency if efforts to reunify fail.

(m) The updated case plan prepared for a permanency planning hearing shall include a recommendation for a permanent plan for the minor. If, after considering reunification, adoptive placement, legal guardianship, or permanent placement with a fit and willing relative the probation officer recommends placement in a planned permanent living arrangement, the case plan shall include documentation of a compelling reason or reasons why termination of parental rights is not in the minor's best interest. For purposes of this subdivision, a "compelling reason" shall have the same meaning as in subdivision (c) of Section 727.3.

(n) Each updated case plan shall include a description of the services that have been provided to the minor under the plan and an evaluation of the appropriateness and effectiveness of those services.

(o) A statement that the parent or legal guardian, and the minor have had an opportunity to participate in the development of the case plan, to review the case plan, to sign the case plan, and to receive a copy of the plan, or an explanation about why the parent, legal guardian, or minor was not able to participate or sign the case plan.

(p) For a minor in out-of-home care who is 16 years of age or older, a written description of the programs and services, which will help the minor prepare for the transition from foster care to independent living.

(Amended by Stats. 2009, 4th Ex. Sess., Ch. 4, Sec. 8. Effective July 28, 2009.)