As used in this chapter:
(a)“Accredited agency” means an agency that has been accredited by an accrediting entity, in accordance with the standards in Subpart F (commencing with Section 96.29) of Part 96 of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, to provide adoption services in the United States in cases subject to the convention. Accredited agency does not include a temporarily accredited agency.
(b)“Adoption service” means any of the following services:
(1)Identifying a child for adoption and arranging an adoption.
(2)Securing the necessary consent to termination of parental rights and to adoption.
(3)Performing a background study on a child or a home study on any prospective adoptive parent, and reporting on the study.
(4)Making nonjudicial determinations of the best interest
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As used in this chapter:
(a)
“Accredited agency” means an agency that has been accredited by an accrediting entity, in accordance with the standards in Subpart F (commencing with Section 96.29) of Part 96 of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, to provide adoption services in the United States in cases subject to the convention. Accredited agency does not include a temporarily accredited agency.
(b)
“Adoption service” means any of the following services:
(1)
Identifying a child for adoption and arranging an adoption.
(2)
Securing the necessary consent to termination of parental rights and to adoption.
(3)
Performing a background study on a child or a home study on any prospective adoptive parent, and reporting on the study.
(4)
Making nonjudicial determinations of the best interests of a child and the appropriateness of an adoptive placement for the child.
(5)
Monitoring a case after a child has been placed with any prospective adoptive parent until final adoption.
(6)
If necessary because of a disruption before final adoption, assuming custody and providing or facilitating child care or any other social service pending an alternative placement.
(c)
“Central authority” means the entity designated under paragraph (1) of Article 6 of the convention by a convention country. The United States Department of State is designated as the United States Central Authority pursuant to the federal Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 14911).
(d)
“Convention” means the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, May 29, 1993.
(e)
“Convention adoption” means the adoption of a child resident in a convention country by a United States citizen, or an adoption of a child resident in the United States by an individual or individuals residing in a convention country, if, in connection with the adoption, the child has moved or will move between the United States and the convention country.
(f)
“Convention country” means a country that is party to the convention and with which the convention is in force for the United States.
(g)
“Exempted provider” means a social work professional or organization that performs a home study on any prospective adoptive parent, or a child background study, or both, in the United States in connection with a convention adoption, and who is not currently providing and has not previously provided any other adoption service in the case.
(h)
“Hague adoption certificate” means a certificate issued by the secretary in an outgoing case (where the child is emigrating from the United States to another convention country) certifying that a child has been adopted in the United States in accordance with the convention and, except as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 97.4 of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 14901 et seq.; the IAA).
(i)
“Hague custody declaration” means a declaration issued by the secretary in an outgoing case (where the child is emigrating from the United States to another convention country) declaring that custody of a child for purposes of adoption has been granted in the United States in accordance with the convention and, except as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 97.4 of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the IAA.
(j)
“Legal service” means any service, other than those defined in this section as an adoption service, that relates to the provision of legal advice and information or to the drafting of legal instruments. Legal service includes, but is not limited to, any of the following services:
(1)
Drafting contracts, powers of attorney, and other legal instruments.
(2)
Providing advice and counsel to an adoptive parent on completing forms for the State Department of Health Care Services or the United States Department of State.
(3)
Providing advice and counsel to accredited agencies, temporarily accredited agencies, approved persons, or prospective adoptive parents on how to comply with the convention, the IAA, and any regulations implementing the IAA.
(k)
“Primary provider” means the accredited agency that is identified pursuant to Section 96.14 of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations as responsible for ensuring that all adoption services are provided and responsible for supervising any supervised providers when used.
(l)
“Public domestic authority” means an authority operated by a state, local, or tribal government.
(m)
“Secretary” means the United States Secretary of State, and includes any official of the United States Department of State exercising the authority of the Secretary of State under the convention, the IAA, or any regulations implementing the IAA, pursuant to a delegation of authority.
(n)
“Supervised provider” means any agency, person, or other nongovernmental entity that is providing any adoption service in a convention adoption under the supervision and responsibility of an accredited agency that is acting as the primary provider in the case.