Jefferson County teen remains in hospitals while officials seek placement
A lawyer says a 17-year-old has remained in North Country hospitals since August because no other placement has been found.
A 17-year-old has remained in North Country hospitals since the end of August while officials and the court system address her living situation, her lawyer said. The teen is not being treated for an illness or injury, according to the report.
A stay-away order issued in June bars her from returning to her caregiver’s home. Her lawyer said the teen has since moved through four homes and four North Country facilities and does not qualify for voluntary or involuntary inpatient treatment.
The lawyer has asked the court to declare the teen destitute, a legal status that would allow Jefferson County’s Department of Social Services to take custody. The lawyer said the agency has not agreed to file the petition. The Department of Social Services did not comment on the specific case.
State data cited in the report shows that 52 children experienced delayed hospital or emergency-room discharges over a three-month period last year because of unavailable care or housing, accounting for more than 5,100 days of hospitalization.
This story was written from a community submission and reviewed by a ClickNNY editor before publication.