Code of Maine Rules › 10 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES › 148 - OFFICE OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES › Chapter 19 - RULES PROVIDING FOR LICENSING OF CHILD PLACING AGENCIES WITH AND WITHOUT ADOPTION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING ADDENDUM, HOME CERTIFICATION PROCESS › Section 148-19-9 - ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
A. The agency shall
				be located within the State of Maine from which it operates, the address of
				which shall be filed with the Department.
B. The agency shall have a clearly designated
				individual or governing body which shall exercise authority over and have
				responsibility for the operation, policy and practice of the child placing
				agency.
C. The agency shall file
				with the Department the names and addresses of at least two persons who are
				authorized to receive legal process and service on behalf of the child placing
				agency.
D. The agency shall have on
				file a written statement of philosophy, purpose, policy for its operations, and
				geographic area the agency will serve.
E. The agency shall document in its records
				the actual costs of the services to the child to be adopted, the child's
				biological parent(s), and the adoptive family, if it bases its fee to the
				adoptive family on the actual cost of services provided.
F. If the agency bases its fee on the average
				cost of services, the agency shall document the costs of the adoption program
				and/or component of the program subject to these rules for which a fee is
				charged, and shall document the method by which it computes the average cost of
				the services.
G. The agency shall
				demonstrate in writing to the Department that it has sufficient funds or a
				reasonable means of raising funds to discharge its obligations and to assure
				that the agency can adequately care for children for whom the agency assumes
				responsibility during the term of its license.
H. The agency shall submit annual operating
				budgets approved by the Board, or by the Administrator if no Board exists, for
				the period covered by the license.
I. Members of the governing body, the
				administrator or operator of the child placing agency, and all staff providing
				foster care and/or adoption services to children shall report to the Department
				all children who are suspected to be in circumstances of abuse.. neglect or
				exploitation, immediately upon becoming aware of the situation. This shall be
				done in accordance with Title 22 M. R. S. A. Section 4002.
J. Each child placing agency shall have on
				file a financial agreement with each applicant, signed at the time of
				application, which clearly states the agency's fee schedule including which
				costs are refundable and which costs are not. The applicant shall be given a
				copy of the agreement at the time of application, signed by the agency and the
				applicant.
K. Each child placing
				agency shall make reasonable efforts to obtain, prior to placement, complete
				and accurate medical and developmental information about children being
				considered for adoption, including medical and genetic birth family information
				which could affect the child. In the case of international adoptions the agency
				shall have on file a signed statement of understanding with the applicant about
				any difficulty in obtaining complete and accurate information because of
				language and practice differences.