When Child Protective Services gets involved, the court clock starts ticking. This page explains dependency court in plain language—what happens at each hearing, who does what, and how to make progress fast. We’ll cover attorneys and GALs in dependency court, the evidence judges care about, and how treatment, testing, and safe visitation move your family toward reunification. Hard truth: parental substance use is tied to a large share of foster care entries in the U.S., and infants face the highest risk. Good news: many families reunify when parents act quickly and document steady change.
Navigating This Guide
This hub page serves as the entry point for deeper exploration. Use the links below to dive into specific areas of Dependency Court Guide:
- CPS and Addiction
- Treatment & Recovery
- Outcomes & Appeals
- CPS Basics & Parent Guide
- Family Roles
- Stories, Media & Community
- Legal Guides
- Practical Tools
- Court-ordered
Sub-Menu
- Dependency Court Guide: Attorneys, GALs, and Your Voice in Court
- Reasonable Efforts & Reasonable Accommodations (SUD & MH)
- Parenting in Recovery: Court-Approved Classes & Documentation
State-by-State CPS & Child Custody Guides (Hub)
Why This Matters: Fast Facts That Should Focus You
- Parental alcohol or drug use is associated with roughly 4 in 10 foster care entries nationwide.
- For babies under one year, related safety concerns drive about 1 in 2 removals.
- Many courts expect visible progress within 6–12 months, with reviews every few months.
- About half of children exiting foster care reunify with their parents when safety is restored.
Bottom line: Courts look for patterns, not perfection—consistent treatment, negative tests over time, safe housing, and reliable parenting time.
Who’s Who: Attorneys and GALs in Dependency Court
Understanding roles helps you use the system, not fear it.
Your attorney (parent counsel).
Advises you on rights, timelines, and strategy; files motions; negotiates services; and makes sure your progress is on the record. Share proof early—assessment dates, treatment enrollment, test results, housing documents, and visit logs.
The child’s attorney or GAL (Guardian ad Litem).
Represents the child’s best interests. A GAL may be an attorney or a trained advocate. They pay attention to safety, stability, school, medical needs, and how visits are going. Keep them updated—calmly and with documentation.
The agency attorney and caseworker.
Present the safety concerns and recommend services. Ask for expectations in writing: what exactly must change, and by when?
The judge.
Decides temporary placement, orders services, and ultimately sets permanency. Judges reward clear action and verified progress.
Pro tip: Be organized and brief. One-page updates with bulletproof proof speak louder than long explanations without documents.
The Calendar: What Each Hearing Means (and How to Win It)
Think of each hearing as a checkpoint to show a pattern of safety.
Initial/Preliminary Hearing (days to weeks).
Goal: stabilize safety and set expectations.
What helps: proof you scheduled your assessment, first negative test, names of safe relatives for kinship placement, and a clear plan for transportation to testing and visits.
Adjudication (often 30–60 days).
Goal: decide if allegations are legally proven.
What helps: documentation that you enrolled in treatment within days, multiple negative tests, counseling intake, parenting-class enrollment, and on-time visits.
Disposition/Case Plan (soon after adjudication).
Goal: lock in a tailored plan.
What helps: ask for services that fit your life—MAT-friendly providers, evening IOP if you work, telehealth therapy, transportation or childcare support. Put requests in writing.
Review Hearings (every 3–6 months).
Goal: measure progress; adjust visitation and services.
What helps: a tidy folder (or phone folder) of lab reports, attendance logs, certificates, housing verification, and visit notes. If relapse happened, show how you stepped up care (higher level of treatment, added MAT or trauma therapy).
Permanency Hearing (around 12 months, sometimes sooner).
Goal: decide the long-term plan—reunification, guardianship, or another option.
What helps: months of consistent negatives, completed services, strong visitation, and safe routines at home (school attendance, bedtime, childcare plans).
Your Voice in Court: Make It Count
You have the right to know the allegations, to counsel, to participate in planning, and to be heard. Turn your story into evidence:
- Start treatment quickly. Same week is best. Follow the recommended level of care—detox, residential, IOP, MAT, therapy.
- Show up for tests. Random calls happen; missed tests are often treated like positives. Plan transportation and work coverage ahead of time.
- Organize proof. Keep an “evidence binder” or one digital folder with: assessment dates, enrollment paperwork, attendance logs, lab results, parenting-class confirmations, therapist/doctor letters, housing docs, and visitation logs.
- Use kinship. If removal happened or is likely, identify safe relatives fast. Kinship placement keeps kids connected to family while you work your plan.
- Communicate through counsel. Send a short progress memo before each hearing so updates enter the record.
Remember: Courts value honesty plus course correction. If you slip, own it, escalate care, and document the change.
True Stories of Addiction: Watch & Find Hope
Take the Next Step (Today)
- Book your assessment now and start the recommended treatment within days.
- Set test reminders and solve transport issues in advance.
- Create your binder: tests, attendance, certificates, housing, and visit logs.
- Ask for supports (in writing): transportation, childcare, language access, MAT-friendly providers, or evening IOP.
- Call for help: For referrals to programs experienced with CPS cases—or help organizing your evidence—reach our helpline at (866) 578-7471.
You are more than a case file. With steady action, smart documentation, and the right team of attorneys and GALs in dependency court, you can move from crisis toward reunification—and bring your family back together.
