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260C.193 DISPOSITIONS; GENERAL PROVISIONS.
    Subdivision 1. Dismissal of petition. Whenever the court finds that the minor is not within
the jurisdiction of the court or that the facts alleged in the petition have not been proved, it shall
dismiss the petition.
    Subd. 2. Consideration of reports. Before making a disposition in a case, terminating
parental rights, or appointing a guardian for a child, the court may consider any report or
recommendation made by the responsible social services agency, probation officer, licensed
child-placing agency, foster parent, guardian ad litem, tribal representative, the child's health or
mental health care provider, or other authorized advocate for the child or child's family, a school
district concerning the effect on student transportation of placing a child in a school district in
which the child is not a resident, or any other information deemed material by the court.
    Subd. 3. Best interest of the child in foster care or residential care. (a) The policy of
the state is to ensure that the best interests of children in foster or residential care are met by
requiring individualized determinations under section 260C.212, subdivision 2, paragraph (b),
of the needs of the child and of how the selected placement will serve the needs of the child
in foster care placements.
(b) The court shall review whether the responsible social services agency made efforts
as required under section 260C.212, subdivision 5, and made an individualized determination
as required under section 260C.212, subdivision 2. If the court finds the agency has not made
efforts as required under section 260C.212, subdivision 5, and there is a relative who qualifies
to be licensed to provide family foster care under chapter 245A, the court may order the child
placed with the relative consistent with the child's best interests.
(c) If the child's birth parent or parents explicitly request that a relative or important friend
not be considered, the court shall honor that request if it is consistent with the best interests of
the child. If the child's birth parent or parents express a preference for placing the child in a
foster or adoptive home of the same or a similar religious background to that of the birth parent
or parents, the court shall order placement of the child with an individual who meets the birth
parent's religious preference.
(d) Placement of a child cannot be delayed or denied based on race, color, or national origin
of the foster parent or the child.
(e) Whenever possible, siblings should be placed together unless it is determined not to be in
the best interests of a sibling. If siblings are not placed together according to section 260C.212,
subdivision 2
, paragraph (d), the responsible social services agency shall report to the court the
efforts made to place the siblings together and why the efforts were not successful. If the court is
not satisfied with the agency's efforts to place siblings together, the court may order the agency
to make further efforts. If siblings are not placed together the court shall review the responsible
social services agency's plan for visitation among siblings required as part of the out-of-home
placement plan under section 260C.212.
(f) This subdivision does not affect the Indian Child Welfare Act, United States Code,
title 25, sections 1901 to 1923, and the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act, sections
260.751 to 260.835.
    Subd. 4. Reports; juveniles placed out of state. Whenever a child is placed in a residential
program located outside of this state pursuant to a disposition order issued under section
260C.201, the juvenile court administrator shall report the following information to the state
court administrator:
(1) the fact that the placement is out of state;
(2) the type of placement; and
(3) the reason for the placement.
    Subd. 5. Intended outcomes. When the court orders an out-of-home placement disposition
for a child, the court shall state in its disposition order the intended outcome of the placement.
    Subd. 6. Termination of jurisdiction. The court may dismiss the petition or otherwise
terminate its jurisdiction on its own motion or on the motion or petition of any interested party at
any time. Unless terminated by the court, and except as otherwise provided in this subdivision,
the jurisdiction of the court shall continue until the individual becomes 19 years of age if the court
determines it is in the best interest of the individual to do so.
History: 1999 c 139 art 3 s 22; art 4 s 2; 1999 c 164 s 1; 1999 c 216 art 6 s 10; 2001 c 178
art 1 s 15,44; 2005 c 165 art 2 s 2; 2007 c 54 art 5 s 5

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes