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The BECCA Bill passed by state legislature in 1995, was designed for parents, youth, the
The BECCA Bill allows for three types of petitions:
Through this process parents may petition the courts for assistance with their teen while the teen resides in their home. Court orders mandate the youth attend school, remain at home, abstain from all drug / alcohol use, follow a curfew, and potentially a list of other case by case directives.
For a child to meet the requirements of an ARY petition they must meet at least one of three criteria:
The purpose of a CHINS petition is to temporarily place a child outside of the home in an attempt to repair family relationships and ensure child safety. This temporary placement is only able to last nine months and the petitioning party must provide a placement. CHINS petitions can be filed by a parent, youth, or DSHS. Under a CHINS petition, the parent and the child are required to attend counseling, which includes family and individual counseling. Visitation between the parents and child occurs, along with a host of other possible services, to seek family reconciliation at the end of the nine-month period.