RCW 13.32A.030 defines an at-risk youth as a juvenile (under the age of 18) who:
- is absent from home for at least 72 consecutive hours without parental consent; or
- is beyond parental control such that his/her behavior endangers the health, safety, or welfare of the child or any other person; or
- has a substance abuse problem for which there are no pending criminal charges relating to the substance abuse.
The intent of the At-Risk Youth (ARY) Program is to allow parents to obtain assistance and support from the court in maintaining the care, custody, and control of their child. Only the parent of the child may file the ARY petition. A “parent” is defined as the person or persons having legal right to custody of the child. This can be a custodian or guardian. The ARY proceeding is a voluntary process and a parent may request a dismissal at any time.