Kansas Statutes
Article 22 - Revised Kansas Code For Care Of Children
38-2242 Ex parte orders of protective custody; application; determination of probable cause; period of time; placement; procedures; orders for removal of child from custody of parent, limitations.

38-2242. Ex parte orders of protective custody; application; determination of probable cause; period of time; placement; procedures; orders for removal of child from custody of parent, limitations. (a) The court, upon verified application, may issue ex parte an order directing that a child be held in protective custody and, if the child has not been taken into custody, an order directing that the child be taken into custody. The application shall state for each child:
(1) The applicant's belief that the child is a child in need of care;
(2) that the child is likely to sustain harm if not immediately removed from the home;
(3) that allowing the child to remain in the home is contrary to the welfare of the child; and
(4) the facts relied upon to support the application, including efforts known to the applicant to maintain the family unit and prevent the unnecessary removal of the child from the child's home, or the specific facts supporting that an emergency exists which threatens the safety of the child.
(b) (1) The order of protective custody may be issued only after the court has determined there is probable cause to believe the allegations in the application are true. The order shall remain in effect until the temporary custody hearing provided for in K.S.A. 38-2243, and amendments thereto, unless earlier rescinded by the court.
(2) No child shall be held in protective custody for more than 72 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays, and days on which the office of the clerk of the court is not accessible, unless within the 72-hour period a determination is made as to the necessity for temporary custody in a temporary custody hearing. The time spent in custody pursuant to K.S.A. 38-2232, and amendments thereto, shall be included in calculating the 72-hour period. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to mean that the child must remain in protective custody for 72 hours. If a child is in the protective custody of the secretary, the secretary shall allow at least one supervised visit between the child and the parent or parents within such time period as the child is in protective custody. The court may prohibit such supervised visit if the court determines it is not in the best interest of the child.
(c) (1) Whenever the court determines the necessity for an order of protective custody, the court may place the child in the protective custody of:
(A) A parent or other person having custody of the child and may enter a restraining order pursuant to subsection (e);
(B) a person, other than the parent or other person having custody, who shall not be required to be licensed under article 5 of chapter 65 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto;
(C) a youth residential facility;
(D) a shelter facility;
(E) a staff secure facility, notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the child has been subjected to human trafficking or aggravated human trafficking, as defined by K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 21-5426, and amendments thereto, or commercial sexual exploitation of a child, as defined by K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 21-6422, and amendments thereto, or the child committed an act which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a violation of K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 21-6419, and amendments thereto;
(F) after written authorization by a community mental health center, a juvenile crisis intervention center as described in K.S.A. 65-536, and amendments thereto; or
(G) the secretary, if the child is 15 years of age or younger, or 16 or 17 years of age if the child has no identifiable parental or family resources or shows signs of physical, mental, emotional or sexual abuse.
(2) If the secretary presents the court with a plan to provide services to a child or family which the court finds will assure the safety of the child, the court may only place the child in the protective custody of the secretary until the court finds the services are in place. The court shall have the authority to require any person or entity agreeing to participate in the plan to perform as set out in the plan. When the child is placed in the protective custody of the secretary, the secretary shall have the discretionary authority to place the child with a parent or to make other suitable placement for the child. When the child is placed in the temporary custody of the secretary and the child has been subjected to human trafficking or aggravated human trafficking, as defined by K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 21-5426, and amendments thereto, or commercial sexual exploitation of a child, as defined by K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 21-6422, and amendments thereto, or the child committed an act which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a violation of K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 21-6419, and amendments thereto, the secretary shall have the discretionary authority to place the child in a staff secure facility, notwithstanding any other provision of law. When the child is presently alleged, but not yet adjudicated, to be a child in need of care solely pursuant to K.S.A. 38-2202(d)(9) or (d)(10), and amendments thereto, the child may be placed in a secure facility pursuant to an order of protective custody for a period of not to exceed 24 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays, and days on which the office of the clerk of the court is not accessible.
(d) The order of protective custody shall be served pursuant to K.S.A. 38-2237(a), and amendments thereto, on the child's parents and any other person having legal custody of the child. The order shall prohibit the removal of the child from the court's jurisdiction without the court's permission.
(e) If the court issues an order of protective custody, the court may also enter an order restraining any alleged perpetrator of physical, sexual, mental or emotional abuse of the child from residing in the child's home; visiting, contacting, harassing or intimidating the child, other family member or witness; or attempting to visit, contact, harass or intimidate the child, other family member or witness. Such restraining order shall be served by personal service pursuant to K.S.A. 38-2237(a), and amendments thereto, on any alleged perpetrator to whom the order is directed.
(f) (1) The court shall not enter the initial order removing a child from the custody of a parent pursuant to this section unless the court first finds probable cause that: (A) (i) The child is likely to sustain harm if not immediately removed from the home;
(ii) allowing the child to remain in home is contrary to the welfare of the child; or
(iii) immediate placement of the child is in the best interest of the child; and
(B) reasonable efforts have been made to maintain the family unit and prevent the unnecessary removal of the child from the child's home or that an emergency exists which threatens the safety to the child.
(2) Such findings shall be included in any order entered by the court. If the child is placed in the custody of the secretary, the court shall provide the secretary with a written copy of any orders entered upon making the order.
History: L. 2006, ch. 200, § 37; L. 2009, ch. 99, § 4; L. 2010, ch. 11, § 5; L. 2010, ch. 155, § 12; L. 2013, ch. 120, § 34; L. 2018, ch. 107, § 4; L. 2019, ch. 65, § 4; July 1.

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