PARENTS IN DISTRESS

State legislatures and courts continue to struggle with the issue of providing reunification services to mentally ill parents. Recent case law highlights the lack of uniformity among the states and the courts in establishing a standard for a state's duty to provide reunification services to mentally ill parents. This article examines how inconsistencies among the courts work against mentally ill parents in their pursuit of family reunification. Furthermore, the article discusses the inadequacies of servcies offered to mentally ill parents. The author argues that society and mentally ill parents benefit from imposing a duty on provide reunification services to mentally ill parents.