Jennifer H. v. Superior Court CA2/6

Filed 10/13/25 Jennifer H. v. Superior Court CA2/6 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION SIX

JENNIFER H., 2d Juv. No. B347444 (Super. Ct. No. 19JV00064-A) Petitioner, (Santa Barbara County)

v.

THE SUPERIOR COURT OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY,

Respondent,

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY CHILD WELFARE SERVICES,

Real Party in Interest.

Jennifer H., the mother of six-year-old M.E., seeks extraordinary writ relief from the juvenile court’s order denying her reunification services pursuant to Welfare and Institutions

1

Code, section 361.5, subdivisions (b)(10) and (b)(11)1 and setting the matter for a permanency planning hearing (§ 366.26). Because substantial evidence supports the juvenile court’s findings that mother had not made a reasonable effort to overcome the problems that led to the previous termination of reunification services and parental rights to M.E.’s half sibling, S.H., we deny the petition. Facts and Procedural Background Mother has a long history of untreated mental health issues, which has resulted in multiple involuntary hospital holds and related dependency actions. In March 2025, police responded to a call that mother was manic and hysterical. The reporting party told police that she heard yelling and screaming from mother and M.E. When officers arrived, they saw mother holding M.E. on her lap and clutching her aggressively. Mother was subsequently hospitalized and M.E. was detained. Santa Barbara County Child Welfare Services (CWS) filed an amended juvenile dependency petition, alleging among other things, mother’s longstanding mental health issues and her failure to address those issues, as well as the termination of reunification services and mother’s parental rights to S.H. due to mother’s untreated mental health issues. CWS recommended mother be bypassed for family reunification services. (§ 361.5, subds. (b)(10), (b)(11).) In June 2025, the juvenile court conducted a contested disposition hearing. Mother was the sole witness. She testified that when M.E. was detained, she was in “psychosis . . . and having delusional thoughts.” Mother stated that when law