Court adopts case service plans; child will remain with father after initial disposition

The Lenawee County Probate & Juvenile Court on Thursday adopted case service plans and ordered that the child remain placed with her father while services continue, the court said at the initial disposition hearing.

The caseworker preparing the report told the court the child, identified in court as Willow, has started counseling and school-based supports and that a CTAC assessment was scheduled for May 1. The court found the department had provided reasonable efforts toward reunification and set a 90-day review hearing for May 19 at 10:30 a.m.

Megan McVay, the caseworker who prepared the court report, told the court, “I was able to schedule the CTAC assessment for May 1, and he was provided that date yesterday.” McVay also said the child had begun trauma-informed counseling through Lifeways and was receiving multiple services at school, including a behavior intervention specialist and daily check-ins to support assignments.

James Marawally, the child’s father, joined by Zoom and identified in court as the respondent, told the judge he had started counseling arrangements for his daughter and said, “I’m all for that. Like I said, I’ve already got the process started for counseling for my daughter. She I don’t think she needs it, but let’s just, you know, let’s just do what we need to do.” He also said he has dependable transportation and that gas cards were being provided.

The court record shows the mother has had limited or no contact with the department. McVay said she attempted unannounced visits and phone contact; the mother did not answer the door for a scheduled meeting and texted another worker that she is moving to Florida. The court record states the mother has “said nothing to remedy the risk of harm associated with allowing the child to be returned to her care.”

The judge adopted the department’s proposed case service plans and ordered they “will become part of today’s court order.” The judge also stated, “The child will remain placed with your father. That is the safest and least restrictive under the circumstances.” The court directed the department to complete an organized ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act) inquiry at or before the next court report and scheduled the next review hearing for Monday, May 19, at 10:30 a.m.

Court counsel for the department asked the court to adopt the case service plans and recommended a 90-day review; department counsel also said that if the mother remains absent the agency will likely shift to the department’s absent-parent protocol. Public defender counsel offered to assist the father with next steps for filing custody paperwork.

The case service plans were unsigned at the hearing because the caseworker said she had not been able to fully coordinate signatures with either parent; McVay described the plans as “proposed” and said she reviewed their contents with the father during a recent visit. The plans include possible drug screening for the father only if concerns arise and specify services for the child and for parent engagement.

The court recorded that reasonable efforts toward reunification had been made by the department and emphasized that the mother must demonstrate effort to remedy the risk if she wishes to resume parenting time; the court recommended any parenting time for the mother remain supervised if she appears.

The court closed by reminding the parties of the May 19 review hearing at 10:30 a.m. and asked the department to provide the organized ICWA inquiry at or before the next court report.