WPCe UPy;N3nm8n7Hѡi\F d\お7''KT)HW*0dPey/ %v0aV=]zm_Zk ^_2Ik0S+Sd=7&I%f4 FRrUPK͈=Rj}&sɽ bCBiЊp0u2o˒MXIOȒ{&> RtU~N@!Jr9[61c-6[11#"ۻCp>kbF/a[Jަ AB5>DA蕭6t-i@]O)'(6zRO\}//;Og/V/Mfo~ټxDI篋.6"t]S=A.Jb\7E4|%QvSˍnmK/jȷ38b#\ %% ^ + 07 U!N w 4 z%  q  m 1   r 0D8N|Z~ 0cE;UN= 1u+ 72bZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ 0bbbb BMM 0j D3 D-A 0Knn AS  0 0Dv A\\IB01S08\KNOXCLERK4,,,,0kx/ (`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman Regular=.:i+00 C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt3|xU(CEKQW]cioAutoList11)1)1)1)1)1)1)1)Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(#$  0    SJMW DJLShoafC.W.W.Fortwood(;3$2#  0  .3  0  (9 Z6Times New Roman Regular  R$      3  XKX  _DCSwasactingunderstatutorymandatewhichrequiresapetitiontoterminationparental  rights shallbefiledbytheDepartmentwhenachildhasbeenincustodyfor15ofthelast22  months.Tenn.CodeAnn.361113(h)(1)(A).3#37=CIQYag1.a.i.(1)(a)(i)1)a)i)  R$      2  XKX  _ԀSeeDCSv.Malone,1998WL46461(Tenn.Ct.App.Feb.5,1998)(Tenn.CodeAnn.36  1113providestheproperframeworkforthisissueinaterminationproceeding);seealsoDCSv.  Shortt,2003WL21338699(Tenn.Ct.App.June10,2003). R$      1  XKX  _Themotherdoesnotdisputethattheresponsibilitiesintheplanwerereasonable.- -(|G2$ !.8Mdd8         0  XKX d(|3$ !.8Mdd8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3$ !.8Mdd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8Mdd8     _M8KXXdd8@ INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE  @$ATKNOXVILLE  @ AssignedonBriefs,October17,2003 $ XKXM #MXXKѮ#  STATEOFTENNESSEE,DEPARTMENTOFCHILDRENSSERVICES,v. " SJMW,INTHEMATTEROF:DJL,ACHILDUNDER18YEARSOFAGEXKXM   6 @  DirectAppealfromtheJuvenileCourtforHamiltonCounty  6 @ No.173,787Hon.SuzanneBailey,Judge  " _   `  _   h FILEDNOVEMBER24,_2003_@*AV) ` dE<` A߈   @No.E200300519_COA_ԄR3PT   AV) ` dE<h` A i   ThemothersparentalrightswereterminatedbytheTrialJudge.Motherhasappealed.Weaffirm. d #MXXKё#XKXM Tenn.R.App.P.3AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheJuvenileCourtAffirmed.  (x HerschelPickensFranks,J.deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichCharlesD.Susano, < Jr.,J.,andD.Michael_Swiney_,J.,joined. ( #MXXK#XKXMJohnA.Shoaf,Chattanooga,Tennessee,forAppellant.  PaulG.Summers,AttorneyGeneralandReporter,and  ElizabethC.Driver,AssistantAttorneyGeneral,Nashville,Tennessee,forAppellee. t @66' OPINION #MXXK{#XKXMԈ $"t! X]XXXK   ` InthisactiontoterminatetheparentalrightsofSJMW( mother)totheminorchild, $8 $ DJL,(dateofbirth5/12/90),theTrialCourtterminatedthemothersparentalrightsonthefollowing %$!% statutorygrounds: &"& "3"    0 ` 3f 2#  1  .3  0 ` (#` (#  failuretosubstantiallycomplywiththeplanofcare;and3f ݌(#( (# (# Ќ  0  0` (#(#2.0 ` (#` (# thatthechildhadbeenremovedformorethansixmonths,andtheconditions p*%* requiringremovalstillpersistedandwouldnotlikelyberemediedinthenear \+&+ future,andcontinuationoftheparent/childrelationshipdiminishedthe H,', childschancesforintegrationintoapermanenthome.#4-(- (# (#n #_SeeTenn.CodeAnn.361113(g).Additionally,thecourtfoundthatterminatingmothersparental  rightswasinthechildsbestinterest.  #XKXXX] #X]XXXK#! XX]#X]X !   ` Onappeal,motherarguesthatherparentalrightsshouldnothavebeenterminated, ` becausetherewasnoclearandconvincingevidenceofthegrounds.Regardingcompliancewiththe L  planofcare,motherhadverydiscreteresponsibilitiesundertheplan,including: 8  0   (#(# 0  0` (#(#0 ` (#` (# ` 1.  motherneededtoprovideDCSwithpsychologicalandparenting  ` assessments,withrecommendationsforcorrectingpastproblems,andto  L  demonstratethatshehadfollowedtheirrecommendations. 8  (# (#   0  0` (#(#2.0 ` (#` (#motherwasrequiredtoproviderentreceiptsforsixmonthsofhousing,and   checkstubsforsixmonthsofemployment.  (# (#   0  0` (#(#3.0 ` (#` (#motherwasalsorequiredtogothroughcounseling.  (# (#      ` TheDCSworkertestifiedthatmotherhadnotcompliedwithanyofthese \ responsibilities,butmoreimportantly,motheradmittedshehadnotcompliedaswell.Mother H testifiedthatshehadgonethroughsomecounselingonherownandinprison,buttestifiedthatshe 4 hadwaitedonanappointmentwithanewcounselorforseveralmonths,andhadjuststartedin  p counselingbythefinaltrialdate.Motheradmittedthatshehadworkedathercurrentjobforonly  \ threemonths,andshehadnorentreceiptsbecauseshewaslivingwithafriend.Further,she H admittedthatshehadgottennoassessmentsorrecommendationsasrequired,buttestifiedthatshe 4 hadundergoneintensivecounselingwhileinprison.Themothertestifiedthatshehadveryrecently   madesomeattemptsatcomplianceaftergettingoutofprison,butthefactremainsthatthechildhas   beenincustodyfortwoyears(duringwhichtimethemotherwasinprisonforatotalofseven  months)andthatlittlehadbeendonetowardcomplyingwiththeplan.       ` Further,themothertestifiedthatsheunderstoodherresponsibilitiesundertheplan, l andunderstoodwhatsheneededtodo.Sheexplainedthatshewasattemptingtocomplywiththe X  planandmakepositivechanges,butwaslimitedduetohereconomicconditionandthetimeframe D! involved.However,thereisclearandconvincingevidencethatthemotherfailedtosubstantially 0"  complywiththeplan.! #  1       #l!      ` TheothergroundwhichtheTrialCourtrelieduponwasthatthechildhadbeenin $D # custodyformorethansixmonths,thattheconditionsleadingtoremovalstillpersisted,andthatthere %0!$ waslittlelikelihoodtheywouldberemediedinthenearfuture.Mothertestifiedthatshehadgotten &"% ajobandkeptitforthreemonths,thatshehadahomewithafriendandwasonthewaitinglistfor '#& subsidizedhousing.Themothertestifiedthatshehadundergonecounseling,alcoholanddrug (#' treatment,andparentingclasseswhileinprison,whichtheDCSworkerverified. x  )$(    `    ` Motherhadmadesomeprogressinthebeginningofthelatestcustodyperiod,and  thechildwasallowedtogohomeonatrialbasis,butthenhadtobetakenagaininAugust2001  becauseofthecircumstancesinwhichthemotherandchildwereliving.Themotherwas t incarceratedsoonthereafter,anddidnotgetoutofprisonuntilAprilof2002.Themotherhadbeen ` outofprisonforfivemonthsatthetimeofthefirsthearing,andforeightmonthsatthetimeofthe L  finalhearing. 8     `    ` Theconditionswhichledtotheoriginalremovalfromcustodywerethatthemother  ` leftthechildhomealone.Thechildwasreturnedtothemotheronatrialbasisafterthat,however,  L  hewasremovedagainwhenthemothersboyfriendleftandshehadnojob,andthechildhadmissed  8  thefirstfewdaysofschool.Whilethemotherhadmadesomeprogress,givenherpasthistory,the $  TrialCourtwasjustifiedinfindingthattheconditionswouldnotberemedied.Moreover,therewas   clearandconvincingevidencetosupportthefirstbasisofremoval.SeeInreC.W.W.,37S.W.3d   467(Tenn.Ct.App.2000).        ` MothersfinalissueisthatDCSdidnotmakereasonableeffortstohelpher,which p isrequiredbyTenn.CodeAnn.361113(I)(2). #  2      ׀Thisstatuterequirestheshowingthatreasonable \ effortsweremadebyDCStohelptheparentmakeachange,andthattheparentfailedtodosofor H adurationoftime. 4      ` Themotherwasincarceratedimmediatelyafterthetrialhomevisitwasterminated,  \ anddidnotgetoutofprisonuntilApril2002.Obviously,therewaslittleDCScoulddotohelpher H duringherincarceration.Aftershewasreleasedfromprison,therecorddoesnotestablishwhat 4 effortsDCSmadetohelpthemothermakeanadjustment,buttheDCSworkerexplainedthatonce   theterminationpetitionwasfiled(beforethemotherwasreleasedfromprison),therewasmoreof   aconcentrationonadoption.TheDCSworkerexplained, Imnotabletomakehergetthehousing,  thejob,ortogotoFortwoodandcontinuewithhercounseling.Thesethingsshecandoifshe  wantedtodothosethings.        ` TherecordestablishesthatDCShasmadereasonableeffortstowardreunitingthe X  familyinthepast,andtheCourtfoundthatDCSmadereasonableefforts,baseduponallthathad D! beendoneinthepast.Theevidencedoesnotpreponderateagainstthatfinding.Tenn.R.App.P. 0"  13(d).AsthisCourthaspreviouslyrecognized,DCSmustmake reasonableefforts,not #l!  herculeanefforts.DCSv.Malone,1998WL46461(Tenn.Ct.App.Feb.5,1998).Inthisregard, $X" seeTenn.Code.Ann.#XKXXX]A##MXXKу#XKXMX]XXXKԀ361113(I). $D #     ` Thus,anyeffortsmadebyDCSandtheresultsthereof,areonlyonefactorofmany &"% whichtheTrialCourtmustconsider. #  3      ׀Inthiscase,theTrialCourtfoundthatthechildsbest   interestswouldbeservedbyterminatingparentalrights,baseduponherfindings,withanemphasis  onthechildsrecentstabilizationinthefosterhomeandhisstatedpreferencetoremainthere.The  Courtstressedthatthechildwasnowdoingwell,andafterhavingbeendisappointedbymotheron t somanyoccasions,hedeservedthestabilityandconsistencythathewasgettinginhisfostercare ` placement.TheCourtfeltthatitwouldbedetrimentaltothechildsemotionalhealthtochangehis L  environmentatthattime,andtheevidencedoesnotpreponderateagainsttheTrialCourtsfindings 8  ontheseissues.Tenn.R.App.P.13(d). $ t      ` Astatutorybasisforterminatingparentalrightswasestablishedbyclearand  L  convincingevidence,andterminationwasshowntobeinthechildsbestinterestsbaseduponthe  8  statutorycriteria.TheTrialCourtactedproperlyinterminatingthemothersparentalrights,andwe $  affirmtheJudgment.      ` Thecostoftheappealisassessedtoappellant.          #XKXXX]+##MXXKz+#XKXM   `     h     _________________________ H    `     h     HerschelPickensFranks,J. 4 #MXXK2#XKXMX]XXXKee#XKXXX]>4##MXXK4# XKXM