1 / 24

New Options for Pennsylvania Adoptions

New Options for Pennsylvania Adoptions. Overview of Act 101 of 2010. Openness in Adoptions. What does openness mean to you? How/when have you discussed? Have you ever addressed in court? What impact do you see on permanency?. Act 101 -- Overview. Signed October 27, 2010

hadar
Télécharger la présentation

New Options for Pennsylvania Adoptions

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. New Options for Pennsylvania Adoptions Overview of Act 101 of 2010

  2. Openness in Adoptions • What does openness mean to you? • How/when have you discussed? • Have you ever addressed in court? • What impact do you see on permanency?

  3. Act 101 -- Overview • Signed October 27, 2010 • Effective April 25, 2011 • Amended Pennsylvania Adoption Act

  4. Amendments – 3 Main Areas • Voluntary agreements for post-adoption contact • Expansion of information registry • Expansion of access to adoption records

  5. Agreements for Post-Adoption Contact – Why? • Recognize emotional connections • Support positive connections • Promote permanency through adoption

  6. Agreements for Post-Adoption Contact – Who? • Prospective adoptive parents • Birth relative of child: • Parent • Grandparent • Stepparent • Sibling • Uncle/Aunt

  7. Agreements for Post-Adoption Contact – What? • Written agreement • Accompanied by oath • Approved by court • Legally enforceable

  8. Agreements for Post-Adoption Contact – What? • Specifies type of contact or communication • Frequency, location, duration • Participants • Any conditions • Process for modification

  9. Agreements for Post-Adoption Contact – Where? • Agreement filed with court that finalizes the adoption

  10. Agreements for Post-Adoption Contact – When? • Court approval on or before date of adoption decree • When to discuss option with possible participants?

  11. Agreements for Post-Adoption Contact – How? • Notification • Legal representation • Facilitation • Mediation • Use of SWAN services

  12. Agreements for Post-Adoption Contact – What if . . .? • Modification • Enforcement • Discontinuance

  13. Agreements for Post-Adoption Contact – Practice Implications • Read assigned case scenario • Respond to questions • Group discussion

  14. Pennsylvania Adoption Information Registry – Why? • Importance of medical & social information to healthy development • Existing AMHR not effective

  15. Pennsylvania Adoption Information Registry – What? • Statewide, confidential • Medical & social history • Authorization forms • All Pennsylvania adoptions

  16. Pennsylvania Adoption Information Registry – What? • Medical information: • Related to adoptee or birth family • Relevant to present or future health care • Related to hereditary or congenital conditions • Identifying information removed

  17. Pennsylvania Adoption Information Registry – What? • Social history information: • Typically included in SWAN Child Profile • Economic, cultural & ethnic information • Developmental history • Social & educational experiences • Current functioning

  18. Pennsylvania Adoption Information Registry – Where? • Registry will be managed by Pennsylvania Adoption Exchange

  19. Pennsylvania Adoption Information Registry – Who? • Who can file information? • Who can request information? • Who can be the subject of a request for information?

  20. Pennsylvania Adoption Information Registry – When? • Court advises parent at time of TPR • Adoptee, birth parent, adoptive parent can file/update any time • Agencies to file information • Registry response time = 30 days

  21. Pennsylvania Adoption Information Registry – How? • Registration form for agencies/courts • Authorization/registration form for • Adoptee • Birth parent • Request form for all permitted to make requests

  22. Access to Adoption Records • A journey through the search process: • Read case scenario • Use Handout #2 and #3 to respond to questions

  23. Access to Adoption Records • For more training and information on search process: • 2-day trainings for authorized representatives

  24. For Further Information: Eleanor L. Bush, Esq. Diakon/FDR ebush@diakon-swan.org Rachel H. Meaker, Esq. Diakon/FDR rmeaker@diakon-swan.org

More Related