Judge continues supervision and DART placement for youth after age-review hearing; next review set for Sept. 16

A judge in Lenawee County Probate & Juvenile Court continued court supervision of 12-year-old Dylan Michael O'Connor and found his qualified residential treatment placement at DART necessary and appropriate, the court said, while scheduling the next review for Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 10:00 a.m.

The decision followed testimony from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) caseworkers and the child’s clinical team that Dylan has made steady progress at DART but has not yet completed his treatment program, and from the child’s mother, Vanessa Everly, who reported successful home visits.

Nicole Underwood, guardian ad litem, and Sasha Thomas, counsel for the Department of Health and Human Services, were present for the hearing. Jill Tipton, a DHHS foster care worker, testified that Dylan’s incident reports have decreased and that home passes with his parents have been successful. Tipton said, “I do believe that him remaining in his current placement is the least restrictive and in Dylan's best interest at this time.”

Brooke Forger, Dylan’s clinical case manager at DART, confirmed the treatment center’s quarterly reporting schedule and said the next report is due Aug. 25; the court and parties agreed to a review hearing on Sept. 16 to allow that report to be circulated. Forger told the court, “His next one is due August 25.”

Vanessa Everly, Dylan’s mother, said she recently began a new job and is coordinating days off with DHHS and DART staff to expand parenting time. Everly described the home visits as mostly positive, saying, “He handled it very well. So I'm very, very impressed with how far Dylan has come.” Dylan, who attended the hearing by phone, said, “I'm happy that I'm doing home visits” and added later, “Wanna see my dog more often.”

Defense counsel for Everly, identified in the record as Miss Berger, asked whether the case could remain open after a parent completes a case plan; Tipton replied that the child had not completed DART programming and that returning Dylan home “today” would be “highly likely” to pose risk. The court repeatedly emphasized the need for a sustained period of successful implementation of Dylan’s skills and a reduction in physical and verbal aggression before moving to a less restrictive placement.

The court admitted the DHHS court report with attachments after a motion to admit and no objections from counsel. The presiding judge stated, “I will continue the jurisdiction of the court and the supervision of the case through the Department of Health and Human Services,” and found that residential treatment at DART “is necessary, appropriate, and it's meeting its needs.” The judge set the next review for Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 10:00 a.m., and ordered that the parties circulate the August report in time for review.

No formal change in the permanency goal was made: the court confirmed that reunification remains the goal, with continued supervision and treatment required before return. The court also noted prior safety concerns, including earlier incidents that resulted in injuries, and said those issues factor into the decision to maintain the current placement.

The hearing record shows agreement among the parties to continue monitoring progress, to align court reviews with DART's quarterly reporting, and to consider expanded parenting time once DART reports demonstrate sustained improvement in Dylan’s behavior.