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First Substitute H.B. 259

This document includes House Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Fri, Feb 27, 2004 at 10:58 AM by kholt. -->

Representative Ann W. Hardy proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
SPECIAL NEEDS ADOPTION -

             2     
PREPLACEMENT EVALUATIONS

             3     
2004 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Sponsor: Ann W. Hardy

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies adoption provisions in the Judicial Code.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    requires that the preplacement evaluation of a special needs child be conducted by
             13      the H [ Division of Child and Family Services ] DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES h or a licensed
             13a      child placing agency
             14      contracted by the division to conduct preplacement evaluations; and
             15          .    requires the adoptive parent or parents to pay for any fee assessed by the evaluating
             16      agency.
             17      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             18          None
             19      Other Special Clauses:
             20          None
             21      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             22      AMENDS:
             23          78-30-3.5, as last amended by Chapter 101, Laws of Utah 2001
             24     
             25      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:


             26          Section 1. Section 78-30-3.5 is amended to read:
             27           78-30-3.5. Preplacement and postplacement adoptive evaluations -- Exceptions.
             28          (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a child may not be placed in an
             29      adoptive home until a preplacement adoptive evaluation, assessing the prospective adoptive
             30      parent and the prospective adoptive home, has been conducted in accordance with the
             31      requirements of this section.
             32          (b) The court may, at any time, authorize temporary placement of a child in a potential
             33      adoptive home pending completion of a preplacement adoptive evaluation described in this
             34      section.
             35          (c) Subsection (1)(a) does not apply if a birth parent has legal custody of the child to be
             36      adopted and the prospective adoptive parent is related to that child as a step-parent, sibling by
             37      half or whole blood or by adoption, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or first cousin, unless the
             38      evaluation is otherwise requested by the court. The prospective adoptive parent described in
             39      this Subsection (1)(c) shall, however, obtain the information described in Subsections (2)(a)
             40      and (b), and file that documentation with the court prior to finalization of the adoption.
             41          (d) The requirements of Subsection (1)(a) are satisfied by a previous preplacement
             42      adoptive evaluation conducted within three years prior to placement of the child, or an annual
             43      updated adoptive evaluation conducted after that three-year period or within one year after
             44      finalization of a previous adoption.
             45          (2) The preplacement adoptive evaluation shall include:
             46          (a) criminal history record information regarding each prospective adoptive parent and
             47      any other adult living in the prospective home, received from the Criminal Investigations and
             48      Technical Services Division of the Department of Public Safety, in accordance with Section
             49      53-10-108 , no earlier than 18 months immediately preceding placement of the child;
             50          (b) a report from the Department of Human Services containing all information
             51      regarding reports and investigation of child abuse, neglect, and dependency, with respect to
             52      each prospective adoptive parent and any other adult living in the prospective home, obtained
             53      no earlier than 18 months immediately preceding placement of the child, pursuant to waivers
             54      executed by those parties; [and]
             55          (c) an evaluation conducted by an expert in family relations approved by the court or a
             56      certified social worker, clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, psychologist,


             57      professional counselor, or other court-determined expert in family relations, who is licensed to
             58      practice under the laws of this state or under the laws of the state where the prospective
             59      adoptive parent or other person living in the prospective adoptive home resides. The
             60      evaluation shall be in a form approved by the Department of Human Services. Neither the
             61      Department of Human Services nor any of its divisions may proscribe who qualifies as an
             62      expert in family relations or who may conduct evaluations pursuant to this Subsection (2)[.];
             63      and
             64          (d) if the child to be adopted is a child who is in the custody of any public child welfare
             65      agency, and is a child with special needs as defined in Subsection 62A-4a-902 (2), the
             66      preplacement evaluation must be conducted by the Department of Human Services or a
             67      licensed child placing agency which has entered into a contract with the department to conduct
             68      the preplacement evaluations for children with special needs. Any fee assessed by the
             69      evaluating agency is the responsibility of the adopting parent or parents.
             70          (3) A copy of the preplacement adoptive evaluation shall be filed with the court.
             71          (4) (a) Except as provided in Subsections (4)(b) and (c), a postplacement evaluation
             72      shall be conducted and submitted to the court prior to the final hearing in an adoption
             73      proceeding. The postplacement evaluation shall include:
             74          (i) verification of the allegations of fact contained in the petition for adoption;
             75          (ii) an evaluation of the progress of the child's placement in the adoptive home; and
             76          (iii) a recommendation regarding whether the adoption is in the best interest of the
             77      child.
             78          (b) The exemptions from and requirements for evaluations, described in Subsections
             79      (1)(c), (2)(c), and (3), also apply to postplacement adoptive evaluations.
             80          (c) Upon the request of the petitioner, the court may waive the postplacement adoptive
             81      evaluation, unless it determines that it is in the best interest of the child to require the
             82      postplacement evaluation.
             83          (5) If the person or agency conducting the evaluation disapproves the adoptive
             84      placement, either in the preplacement or postplacement adoptive evaluation, the court may
             85      dismiss the petition. However, upon request of a prospective adoptive parent, the court shall
             86      order that an additional preplacement or postplacement adoptive evaluation be conducted, and
             87      hold a hearing on the suitability of the adoption, including testimony of interested parties.


             88          (6) Prior to finalization of a petition for adoption the court shall review and consider
             89      the information and recommendations contained in the preplacement and postplacement
             90      adoptive studies required by this section.


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