§ 50-12-09 — Compensation for child placing

North Dakota § 50-12-09

• Jurisdiction: North Dakota
• Title 50: Public Welfare
• Ch. 50-12: Child-Placing Agency

Text

1. A child-placing agency in making an adoptive placement may be compensated by the
adoptive family for reasonable fees.
2. Child-placing agency compensation only may be received for services provided to the
adoptive family if reflected in a financial agreement. An itemized receipt of reasonable
fees paid by the child-placing agency must be provided to the adoptive family.
3. The fees may not be contingent upon placement of the child for adoption, consent to
adoption, or cooperation in the completion of adoption.

4. Reasonable fees may include:
a. Facilitation fees charged and completed by the child-placing agency including the
cost of preplacement birth parent counseling, adoption home study assessment,
placement costs for children not in public custody, utilizing a foster care
placement prior to finalization, placement supervision, or other preadoption
services offered by the child-placing agency;
b. Legal fees relating to the petition for relinquishment or adoption on behalf of the
birth parent;
c. Medical expenses relating to prenatal care and the birth of the child, which are
not already covered by the birth mother's health insurance or other public
assistance programs;
d. Expenses incurred by the birth parent for transportation, meals, and lodging in
order to receive counseling, legal, or medical services related to the pregnancy,
birth, or placement of the child; and
e. Living expenses of the birth mother which are needed to maintain an adequate
standard of living, not already covered by public assistance programs.
(1) The payments may cover expenses incurred during the pregnancy-related
incapacity and for up to six weeks following the delivery.
(2) Living expenses do not include lost wages, gifts, educational expenses,
vacations, or other similar expenses of a birth mother.