§ 5-325. Effects of order for guardianship

   (a) Parent-child relationship. -- An order for guardianship of an individual:

   (1) except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, § 4-414 of the Estates and Trusts Article, and § 2-123 of the Real Property Article, terminates a parent's duties, obligations, and rights toward the individual;

   (2) eliminates the need for a further consent by a parent to adoption of the individual;

   (3) grants a local department guardianship with the right to consent to the individual's adoption or other planned permanent living arrangement; and

   (4) terminates the individual's CINA case.

(b) Guardian. --

   (1) Unless a juvenile court gives legal custody to another person, a child's guardian under this subtitle has legal custody.

   (2) (i) Unless a juvenile court orders otherwise and subject to review by the juvenile court, a child's guardian may make all decisions affecting the child's education, health, and welfare, including consenting:

         1. to adoption of the child;

         2. to application by the child for a driver's license;

         3. to enlistment by the child in the armed forces;

         4. to marriage of the child; and

         5. subject to subparagraphs (ii) and (iii) of this paragraph, to medical, psychiatric, or surgical treatment.

      (ii) A child's guardian:

         1. may have the child admitted to an inpatient psychiatric facility in accordance with the standards for emergency commitment in § 10-617 of the Health - General Article for not more than 20 days;

         2. except as provided in item 1 of this subparagraph, may not place the child in an inpatient psychiatric facility without express authorization of the juvenile court.

      (iii) 1. A child's guardian may not withhold or withdraw a life-sustaining procedure without the prior authorization of a juvenile court.

         2. in deciding whether to grant authorization, a juvenile court shall apply the factors set forth in § 13-711(b) of the Estates and Trusts Article.

   (3) A local department shall notify a juvenile court, a child's attorney, and the attorney for each other party who has not waived the right to notice:

      (i) within 2 business days after the child's placement changes or the time required under § 5-326(b) of this subtitle, whichever is shorter;

      (ii) within 2 business days after the child is placed in a psychiatric facility; or

      (iii) within 2 business days after the child is absent from a placement for more than a week.

   (4) A local department shall give a child's attorney the child's new address and telephone number within 2 business days after the address or telephone number changes.

HISTORY: 2005, ch. 464, § 3; 2006, ch. 365, § 2.