In re A.M.-G.

• Decision Date: 17 November 2022
• Docket Number: 22-1429
• Parties: IN THE INTEREST OF A.M.-G. and A.M., Minor Children, P.M., Mother, Appellant.
• Court: Iowa Court of Appeals

IN THE INTEREST OF A.M.-G. and A.M., Minor Children, P.M., Mother, Appellant.

No. 22-1429

Court of Appeals of Iowa

November 17, 2022

Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Black Hawk County, David F. Staudt, Judge.

A mother appeals the termination of her parental rights.

Joseph G. Martin, Cedar Falls, for appellant mother.

Thomas J. Miller, Attorney General, and Ellen Ramsey-Kacena, Assistant Attorney General, for appellee State.

Kimberly S. Lange of the Public Defender's Office, Waterloo, attorney and guardian ad litem.

Considered by Tabor, P.J., and Schumacher and Chicchelly, JJ.

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SCHUMACHER, JUDGE

A mother appeals the termination of her parental rights. She claims termination is not in the best interests of the children and asks for a six-month extension. We find termination is in the children's best interests. Additionally, a six-month extension in not warranted on the facts in this record. We affirm.

I. Background Facts &Proceedings

The instant proceedings began in August 2020 after the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) became aware of reports of the mother's failure to safely supervise her children, as well as the mother's drug use.^[1] A.M.-G., age three-and-a-half, and A.M., age two-and-a-half, were removed from their mother's custody and placed with their maternal grandmother, where they have remained for the duration of the case.

The mother was instructed to complete substance-abuse treatment, comply with drug testing, complete a mental-health evaluation and fulfill any recommended treatment, participate in Family Centered Services (FCS) and the SafeCare curriculum, and consistently attend visits with the children. Little progress was made on any of these goals. The mother completed a substance-abuse evaluation in July 2021, which diagnosed her with cocaine use disorder-severe, cannabis use disorder-severe, and opiate use disorder-severe, in sustained remission. However, the mother did not complete any substance-abuse treatment. Nor did she engage in mental-health treatment, despite self-disclosing to DHHS that she suffered from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Visitation was also problematic

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for the mother. Providers reported that the mother easily grew frustrated with the children, failed to discipline them, failed to properly supervise them, and left numerous hazards around the house, including loose pills and scissors within the children's reach. The mother completed only ten drug tests...