E. Expedited Placement Request

Under certain conditions, a court may request an expedited placement review. Cases involving a child who is under the jurisdiction of a court are eligible, if at least one of the following criteria is met:

•   There is unexpected dependency due to a sudden or recent incarceration, incapacitation or death of a parent or guardian. Incapacitation means a parent or guardian is unable to care for a child due to a medical, mental or physical condition of a parent or guardian;

•   The child sought to be placed is four years of age or younger, and can include older siblings sought to be placed with the same proposed placement resource;

•   The court finds that any child in the sibling group sought to be placed has a substantial relationship with the proposed placement resource. Substantial relationship means the proposed placement has a familial or mentoring role with the child, has spent more than cursory time with the child, and has established more than a minimal bond with the child; or

•   The child is currently in an emergency placement.

Expedited placement option is not available where:

•   The child has already been placed in the receiving state in violation of the ICPC, unless a visit has been approved in writing by the receiving state Compact Administrator and a subsequent order entered by the sending state court authorizing the visit with a fixed return date in accordance with Reg. No. 9; or

•   The intention of the sending state is to place the child for licensed or approved foster care or adoption.

Expedited placement, like the ICPC, does not apply at all when:

•   The court places the child with a parent.

It is not within a judge’s discretion to make all orders expedited. The situation must fit those criteria outlined in ICPC Regulation 7 for priority placement to be available; it is not a matter of discretion for judges. Please visit the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) at http://www.aphsa.org/content/APHSA/en/home.html for more information.[79]