Wyo. Stat. § 14-6-229 (2026)

dispositions; terms and conditions; legal custody.

     (a) In determining the disposition to be made under this
act in regard to any child:

          (i) The court shall review the predisposition report,
the recommendations, if any, of the multidisciplinary team, the
case plan and other reports or evaluations ordered by the court
and indicate on the record what materials were considered in
reaching the disposition;

          (ii) If the court does not place the child in
accordance with the recommendations of the predisposition report
or multidisciplinary team, the court shall enter on the record
specific findings of fact relied upon to support its decision to
deviate from the recommended disposition;

          (iii) When a child is adjudged by the court to be
delinquent, the court shall enter its decree to that effect and
make a disposition consistent with the purposes of this act;

           (iv)    Repealed By Laws 1997, ch. 199, § 3.

          (v) The court shall not order an out-of-state
placement unless:

               (A) Evidence has been presented to the court
regarding the costs of the out-of-state placement being ordered
together with evidence of the comparative costs of any suitable
alternative in-state treatment program or facility, as
determined by the department pursuant to W.S. 21-13-315(d)(vii),
whether or not placement in the in-state program or facility is
currently available;

               (B) The court makes an affirmative finding on
the record that no placement can be made in a Wyoming
institution or in a private residential treatment facility or
group home located in Wyoming that can provide adequate
treatment or services for the child; and

               (C) The court states on the record why no
in-state placement is available.

     (b)   Repealed By Laws 1997, ch. 199, § 3.

     (c) Repealed By Laws 1997, ch. 199, § 3; 1993, ch. 210, §
3; 1984, ch. 67, §§ 2, 3; 1987, ch. 217, § 2, ch. 221, § 3.

     (d) If the child is found to be delinquent the court may
impose any sanction authorized by W.S. 14-6-245 through
14-6-252.

           (i)    Repealed by Laws 1997, ch. 119, § 3.

           (ii)    Repealed by Laws 1997, ch. 119, § 3.

           (iii)    Repealed by Laws 1997, ch. 119, § 3.

           (iv)    Repealed by Laws 1997, ch. 119, § 3.
          (v)    Repealed By Laws 1997, ch. 199, § 3.

          (vi)    Repealed by Laws 1997, ch. 119, § 3.

     (e) In cases where a child is ordered removed from the
child's home:

          (i)    Repealed By Laws 1997, ch. 199, § 3.

          (ii) If a child is committed or transferred to an
agency or institution under this section:

               (A) At least every three (3) months the agency
or institution shall recommend to the court if the order should
be continued;

               (B) Not less than once every six (6) months, the
court of jurisdiction shall conduct a formal review to assess
and determine the appropriateness of the current placement, the
reasonable efforts made to reunify the family, the safety of the
child and the permanency plan for the child. During this review:

                    (I)    The department of family services shall
present to the court:

                         (1) If the permanency plan is
classified as another planned permanent living arrangement,
documentation of the ongoing and unsuccessful efforts to return
the child home or place the child for adoption or with a legal
guardian or a fit and willing relative for purposes of
guardianship or adoption, including evidence of efforts to use
social media or other search technology to find biological
family members for the child;

                         (2) Efforts made to ensure that the
child is provided, to the greatest extent possible, the
opportunity to participate in age appropriate or developmentally
appropriate activities and experiences as defined in W.S. 14-13-
101(a)(i) to promote healthy child and adolescent development
consistent with W.S. 14-13-101 through 14-13-104; and

                         (3) If the child is placed in a
qualified residential treatment program:

                              a. Information to show that
ongoing assessment of the child's strengths and needs continues
to support the determination that placement in a qualified
residential treatment program provides the most effective and
appropriate level of care for the child in the least restrictive
environment consistent with the short-term and long-term goals
of the child and the child's permanency plan;

                              b. The specific treatment needs
that will be met for the child in the placement;

                              c. The length of time the child
is expected to remain in the placement;

                              d. The efforts made by the
department of family services to prepare the child to return
home or be placed for adoption or legal guardianship.

                    (II)   The court shall:

                         (1) Determine whether the permanency
plan is in the best interest of the child and whether the
department of family services has made reasonable efforts to
finalize the plan;

                         (2) Order the department of family
services to take any additional steps necessary to effectuate
the terms of the permanency plan;

                         (3) Ask the child or, if the child is
not present at the review, the child's guardian ad litem or
other legal representative about the child’s desired permanency
outcome;

                         (4) If the permanency plan is
classified as another planned permanent living arrangement:

                              a. Make a judicial determination
and explain why, as of the date of the review, another planned
permanent living arrangement is the best permanency plan for the
child; and

                              b. Provide reasons why it
continues not to be in the best interest of the child to return
home or be placed for adoption or with a legal guardian, or be
placed with a fit and willing relative for purposes of
guardianship or adoption.

                         (5) Make findings whether the child
has been provided, to the greatest extent possible, the
opportunity to participate in age appropriate or developmentally
appropriate activities and experiences as defined in W.S.
14-13-101(a)(i) to promote healthy child and adolescent
development consistent with W.S. 14-13-101 through 14-13-104.

          (iii) The court shall order the parents or other
legally obligated person to pay a reasonable sum for the support
and treatment of the child as required by W.S. 14-6-236, or
shall state on the record the reasons why an order for support
was not entered;

          (iv) In cases where the child is placed in custody of
the department, support shall be established by the department
through a separate civil action;

          (v) Any order regarding potential placement at a
psychiatric residential treatment facility shall not specify a
particular psychiatric residential treatment facility or level
of care for the placement of the child;

          (vi) If the child is placed in a qualified
residential treatment program:

               (A) Within thirty (30) days of the placement a
qualified individual shall conduct an assessment to determine
whether the child's needs can be met through placement with
family members or in a foster family home, or if the placement
in a qualified residential treatment program provides the most
effective and appropriate level of care for the child in the
least restrictive environment consistent with the short-term and
long-term goals of the child and the child's permanency plan;

               (B)   Within sixty (60) days of the placement the
court shall:

                    (I) Consider the assessment completed
pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph;

                    (II) Determine whether the needs of the
child can be met through placement in a foster family home or
whether the placement in a qualified residential treatment
program provides the most effective and appropriate level of
care for the child in the least restrictive environment;

                    (III) Determine whether the placement is
consistent with the short-term and long-term goals for the child
as specified in the child's permanency plan;
                     (IV)   Approve or disapprove the placement.

     (f)   Repealed by Laws 1997, ch. 119, § 3.

     (g) An institution, organization or agency vested with
legal custody of a child by court order shall have the right to
determine where and with whom the child shall live, provided
that placement of the child does not remove him from the state
of Wyoming without court authorization. An individual vested
with legal custody of a child by court order shall personally
exercise custodial rights and responsibilities unless otherwise
authorized by the court.

     (h) Whenever the court vests legal custody of a child in
an institution, organization or agency it shall transmit with
the order copies of all clinical reports, social studies and
other information pertinent to the care and treatment of the
child. The institution, organization or agency receiving legal
custody of a child shall provide the court with any information
concerning the child that the court may request.

     (j) In placing a child in the custody of an individual or
a private agency or institution, the court shall give primary
consideration to the needs and welfare of the child. Where a
choice of equivalent services exists, the court shall, whenever
practicable, select a person or an agency or institution
governed by persons of the same religion as that of the parents
of the child. In case of a difference in the religious faith of
the parents, then the court shall select the person, agency or
institution governed by persons of the religious faith of the
child, or if the religious faith of the child is not
ascertainable, then of the faith of either parent.

     (k)   Repealed By Laws 1997, ch. 199, § 3.

     (m) The clerk of the court granting probation to a youth
adjudicated delinquent shall send a certified copy of the order
to the department of family services if the department has been
requested to provide supervision of the probationer.

     (n) At the time of granting probation or at any later
time, the court may request the department of family services to
provide supervision of the probationer. The supervising
probation officer shall not be required to supervise or report
on a youth granted probation unless requested to do so by the
court granting probation.
     (o) Absent a specific provision in the placement order
requiring prior court approval for any change in placement, a
department of state government vested with temporary legal
custody of a child by court order under this section has
authority to place the child in a residential facility or other
out-of-home placement of similar or less restrictive confinement
provided:

          (i) At least ten (10) days prior to the change in
placement written notice of the proposed placement is served
upon the child, the child's parents, the child's representative,
the current placement provider and the office of the district
attorney of original jurisdiction, personally or by certified
mail to the recipient's last known address; and

          (ii) None of the parties within ten (10) days after
notice is filed with the juvenile court having jurisdiction,
makes a written objection to the proposed change in placement.

     (p) If a placement order vesting a department of state
government with temporary legal custody of a child under this
section includes a provision that court approval shall be
required prior to any change in placement, the department may
proceed to place the child in a residential facility or other
out-of-home placement of similar or less restrictive
confinement, and the court shall be deemed to have approved such
change in placement, if:

          (i) The conditions of paragraphs (o)(i) and (ii) of
this section are met; and

          (ii) The court on its own motion does not set the
matter for hearing within fifteen (15) days after notice of the
proposed change in placement is filed with the juvenile court.

     (q)   Repealed by Laws 1997, ch. 119, § 3.

     (r) An agency of state government vested with temporary
legal custody of a child under this section shall have the right
to transport the child as necessary.