H.B. 173

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COUNSELING AND SUPPORT OF ADOPTIVE
2 FAMILIES AND CHILDREN
3 1998 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Nora B. Stephens
6 AN ACT RELATING TO THE DIVISION OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES;
7 REQUIRING THAT DIVISION TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO
8 POTENTIAL ADOPTIVE PARENTS AND ADOPTIVE PARENTS OF CHILDREN WHO
9 ARE OR WERE, AT THE TIME OF ADOPTION, IN THE CUSTODY OF THE DIVISION;
10 AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
11 This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
12 AMENDS:
13 62A-4a-205.6, as last amended by Chapters 195 and 329, Laws of Utah 1997
14 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
15 Section 1. Section 62A-4a-205.6 is amended to read:
16 62A-4a-205.6. Adoptive placement time frame -- Contracting with agencies.
17 (1) With regard to children who have a permanency goal of adoption or for whom a final
18 plan for pursuing termination of parental rights has been approved in accordance with Section
19 78-3a-312, the division shall make intensive efforts to place the child in an adoptive home within
20 30 days after the final plan has been approved.
21 (2) If within the time period described in Subsection (1) the division is unable to locate
22 a suitable adoptive home, it shall contract with licensed child placing agencies to search for an
23 appropriate adoptive home for the child, and to place the child for adoption. The division shall
24 comply with the requirements of Section 62A-4a-607 and contract with a variety of child placing
25 agencies licensed under Part 6.
26 (3) The division shall ensure that children who are adopted and were previously in its
27 custody, continue to receive the medical and mental health coverage that they are entitled to under

1 state and federal law. The division shall also provide intensive training and support to potential
2 adoptive parents, and ongoing support and individual or family counseling to adoptive parents and
3 their children, as needed, until the adopted child reaches 21 years of age.
4 Section 2. Effective date.
5 This act takes effect on July 1, 1998.




Legislative Review Note
as of 8-8-97 11:00 AM

A limited legal review of this bill raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel

Committee Note

The Health and Human Services Interim Committee recommended this bill.

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