(a) In addition to the permanency planning requirements under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7B-906.1, at every permanency planning hearing for a juvenile in the custody of a county department of social services who has attained the age of 14 years, the court shall inquire and make written findings regarding each of the following:

(1) The services provided to assist the juvenile in making a transition to adulthood.

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(2) The steps the county department of social services is taking to ensure that the foster family or other licensed placement provider follows the reasonable and prudent parent standard as provided in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 131D-10.2A.

(3) Whether the juvenile has regular opportunities to engage in age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate activities.

(b) At or before the permanency planning hearing immediately following the juvenile’s seventeenth birthday and at each permanency planning hearing thereafter, the court shall (i) inquire as to whether the juvenile has a copy of the juvenile’s birth certificate, Social Security card, health insurance information, drivers license or other identification card, any educational or medical records the juvenile requests, and information about how the juvenile may participate in the foster care 18-21 program authorized by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 108A-48, and (ii) determine the person or entity that should assist the juvenile in obtaining these documents before the juvenile attains the age of 18 years.

(b1) The department shall include in its report to the court at every hearing after the juvenile’s seventeenth birthday all of the following information:

(1) The department’s efforts to identify and secure viable placement options for when the juvenile attains the age of 18 years.

(2) A list of appropriate adults who can serve as resources for the juvenile when the juvenile attains the age of 18 years.

(3) Contact information of the person responsible for overseeing voluntary foster care placements with young adults in the county department of social services with custody or placement responsibility of the juvenile and in the county department of social services in the county where the juvenile plans to reside at the age of 18 years.

(4) If appropriate, whether the juvenile has information about how he or she may maintain contact with his or her siblings, parents, or relatives when the juvenile attains the age of 17 years.

(5) Whether the department has provided the juvenile with a point of contact to secure Medicaid and maintain physical and mental health services for which the juvenile will be eligible when the juvenile attains the age of 18 years.

(6) Whether the department has provided the juvenile with information about educational, vocational, or job plans for when the juvenile attains the age of 18 years.

(c) If the court finds each of the following conditions applies, the court shall approve Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (APPLA) as defined by P.L. 113-183, as the juvenile’s primary permanent plan:

(1) The juvenile is 16 or 17 years old.

(2) The county department of social services has made diligent efforts to place the juvenile permanently with a parent or relative or in a guardianship or adoptive placement.

(3) Compelling reasons exist that it is not in the best interest of the juvenile to be placed permanently with a parent or relative or in a guardianship or adoptive placement.

(4) APPLA is the best permanency plan for the juvenile.

(d) If the court approves APPLA as the juvenile’s permanent plan, the court shall, after questioning the juvenile, make written findings addressing the juvenile’s desired permanency outcome. (2015-135, s. 2.6; 2015-136, s. 15; 2021-100, ss. 14, 15.)