Court orders end to reunification efforts, directs shift toward adult guardianship and continued residential care

The Lenawee County Probate & Juvenile Court on record ordered that reunification efforts for an 18‑year‑old referred to in court as Britney be discontinued and directed the child‑welfare agency to focus on pursuing an adult developmental‑disability guardianship and securing ongoing residential supports.

Court documents and testimony show Britney currently resides at a treatment program operated through Wedgwood in the Grand Rapids area and told a clinician she prefers to remain there. “She just preferred to go to school. She did not want to attend court,” said Stephanie Pardo Juarez, clinician for Britney at Wedgwood. At a review hearing the court admitted the department's January court report and scheduled the next review for May 6 at 9 a.m.

The move away from reunification reflects findings that staff have not been able to secure the psychological evaluation required to file a guardianship petition and that no viable guardian within the family has been identified. Keelan Young, a caseworker with the Department of Health and Human Services, told the court the agency has…