10-148-19 Me. Code R. § 9

Current through 2024-25, June 19, 2024
Section 148-19-9 - ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION
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.

10-148 C.M.R. ch. 19, § 9