The father of H. J. appeals the order finding that H. J. is deprived and awarding his custody to the Department of Family and Children Services. The father argues that the evidence does not show that his son is presently deprived. He also argues that the juvenile court abused its discretion by denying the father any visitation with his son. Because we find that the clear and convincing evidence shows present deprivation and that the juvenile court did not abuse its discretion in regards to visitation, we affirm. On February 19, 2010, when H. J. was about 14 1/2 years old, DFCS received a referral alleging that the father had shot two dogs, was involved in an abusive relationship with his girlfriend, frequently drank alcohol to the point of intoxication, and had pointed a gun at the child. A social services supervisor interviewed H. J. that day, and the child told her that his father had pointed a .22 rifle at him because he got dirt in the father’s truck. He confirmed that the father had shot the dogs, which resulted in the father’s arrest for animal cruelty. He said that the father kept him out late on school nights, taking him hunting and to a bar, so that he had trouble staying awake in school. He confirmed the father’s excessive drinking, and said that his father drove while intoxicated with him in the vehicle. He said that he had witnessed the father being abusive to his girlfriend. He also said that he was afraid of his father and did not want to see him or go home with him.
H. J. went to live with a maternal aunt for the remainder of the school year and then was placed in the custody of his former stepmother, the father’s ex-wife. The child was adjudicated to be deprived on July 22, 2010. In the deprivation order, the court prohibited the father from having contact with the child until the child’s counselor deemed it appropriate to begin joint counseling sessions with the father and child. The court ruled that the father and son must complete at least 12 joint counseling sessions before the father could have unsupervised contact with his son. It ordered H. J. to continue to participate in individual and family counseling. The court directed the father to complete a family services plan, which required the father, among other things, to complete psychological services associated with anger management, alcohol dependence, depression and anxiety.
