§ 7B-2515. Notification of extended commitment; plan of treatment. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 7B‑2515.  Notificationof extended commitment; plan of treatment.

(a)        In determiningwhether a juvenile should be released before the juvenile's 18th birthday, theDepartment shall consider the protection of the public and the likelihood thatcontinued placement will lead to further rehabilitation. If the Department doesnot intend to release the juvenile prior to the juvenile's eighteenth birthday,or if the Department determines that the juvenile's commitment should becontinued beyond the maximum commitment period as set forth in G.S. 7B‑2513(a),the Department shall notify the juvenile and the juvenile's parent, guardian,or custodian in writing at least 30 days in advance of the juvenile'seighteenth birthday or the end of the maximum commitment period, of theadditional specific commitment period proposed by the Department, the basis forextending the commitment period, and the plan for future care or treatment.

(b)        The Departmentshall modify the plan of care or treatment developed pursuant to G.S. 7B‑2513(f)to specify (i) the specific goals and outcomes that require additional time forcare or treatment of the juvenile; (ii) the specific course of treatment orcare that will be implemented to achieve the established goals and outcomes;and (iii) the efforts that will be taken to assist the juvenile's family increating an environment that will increase the likelihood that the efforts totreat and rehabilitate the juvenile will be successful upon release. Ifappropriate, the Department may place the juvenile in a setting other than ayouth development center.

(c)        The juvenile andthe juvenile's parent, guardian, or custodian may request a review by the courtof the Department's decision to extend the juvenile's commitment beyond thejuvenile's eighteenth birthday or maximum commitment period, in which case thecourt shall conduct a review hearing. The court may modify the Department'sdecision and the juvenile's maximum commitment period. If the juvenile or thejuvenile's parent, guardian, or custodian does not request a review of theDepartment's decision, the Department's decision shall become the juvenile'snew maximum commitment period. (1998‑202, s. 6; 1998‑217, s. 57(1); 2000‑137,s. 3; 2001‑95, s. 5.)