This bill improves the court process for child protection cases in Maine by modifying the criteria for preliminary protection orders and hearings.

The bill modifies the court process for child protection cases by eliminating the consideration of previous involuntary termination of a parent's rights to another child as an aggravating factor. It requires courts to consider the trauma to the child of removal from the child's home and whether the Department of Health and Human Services has exhausted options to mitigate the immediate risk of serious harm and avoid the child's removal. The court must schedule a summary preliminary hearing within days of the preliminary protection order.

This bill improves the court process for child protection cases in Maine by modifying the criteria for preliminary protection orders and hearings.

The bill modifies the court process for child protection cases by eliminating the consideration of previous involuntary termination of a parent's rights to another child as an aggravating factor. It requires courts to consider the trauma to the child of removal from the child's home and whether the Department of Health and Human Services has exhausted options to mitigate the immediate risk of serious harm and avoid the child's removal. The court must schedule a summary preliminary hearing within days of the preliminary protection order.