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December 1998 Administration of Justice Bulletin No. 98/03 with the juvenile's safety, and need for a safe, perma- nent home within a reasonable period of time. (The new section, however, refers to "health and safety." rather than just "safety.") The new section also allows the court to direct that efforts to eliminate the need for placement are not re- quired or shall cease, it' the court finds that a court of competent jurisdiction has done any of the following: 1. determined that the parent has subjected the child tO aggravated circumstances, or 2. terminated the parent's rights to another child of the parent, or 3. determined that the parent has committed murder or voluntao' manslaughter of another child of the parent; has aided, abetted, attempted, conspired, or solicited to conumt murder or voluntary manslaughter of the child or another child of the parent; or has com- mitted a felony assault resulting in serious bodily injury, to the child or another child of the parent. Contents of Order Placing Juvenile with Department of Social Services S.L. 1998-229 makes the following changes to the Juvenile Code provisions regarding the contents of orders that place or continue the placement of a juve- nile with a department of social services. 1. Unless the court has determined previously that reasonable efforts are not required or shall cease, the order must contain findings as to (a) whether the department of social serv- ices has made reasonable efforts to prevent or eliminate the need for placement and (b) whether the department Should continue to make reasonable efforts to eliminate the need for placement. 2. The order may provide for services or other efforts aimed not only at returning a juvenile to a safe home, but also at achieving another permanent plan for a juvenile. 3. If the court finds that efforts to eliminate the need for placement are not required or shall cease, the court must direct that a permanency planning hearing be held within thirty calen- dar days and, if practicable, set the date and time for that hearing. Safety as Paramount Concern New GS. 7A-577. l(d) makes clear that in deter- mining what reasonable efforts must be made and in 3 making those efforts, the juvenile's health and safety must be the paramount concern. Concurrent Planning G.S. 7A-577. l(d) authorizes making concurrent efforts (1) to preserve or reunify families and (2) to plan for the juvenile's adoptiort to place the juvenile with a legal guardian, or to place the juvenile in another permanent arrangement. Adjudicatory Hearing S.L. !.998-229 amends G.S. 7A-629 to require that the adjudicatory hearing be held no later than sixty days from the filing of the petit/om unless the court, pursuant to the Juvenile Code's provision for continu- ances, orders that it be held at a later time. (As noted below, from Sanuary 1, [999, through June 30, 1999. this requirement also applies to cases of undisciplined and delinquent juveniles.) Dispositions and Dispositional Orders Placement with Relative G.S. 7A-647 lists dispositional alternatives that are available in any juvenile case. S.L. 1998-229 amends that section to require the court, when ordering a juve- nile's placement in out-of-home care, (1) to determine whether a relative is wilting and able to provide proper care and supervision of the juvenile in a safe home and, (2) ff such a relative is available, to place the ju- venile with the relative unless the court finds that the placemem would be contrary to the juvenile's best interests. V~sitation and Return Home S.L. 1998-229 amends G.S, 7A-647 and G.S. 7A- 651 to: I.. allow a department of social services that has custody of a juvenile to allow unsupervised visitation with, or to return physical custody to, the parent or person standing in [oco parentis, only after a hearing at which the court finds that the juvenile will receive proper care and supervision in a safe home. 2. require that any dispositional order provide for appropriate visitation that is in the best