N.J. Admin. Code § 3A:50-3.4

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 3A:50-3.4 - Information to parents and adoptive applicants

(a) The agency shall provide the birth parents and adoptive applicants with a written statement or pamphlet indicating certain parental and agency rights and responsibilities, as specified in N.J.A.C. 3A:50-3.4(b).

(b) The written statement or pamphlet shall contain the following information:

1. That the agency is required to be certified by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families pursuant to N.J.S.A. 9:3-37 et seq.;

2. That the agency is required by law to comply with all applicable requirements of this chapter;

3. That the agency shall make a current copy of this chapter available for review by the parents of children served by the agency;

4. That any parent who believes or suspects that the agency is in violation of any requirements of the Manual of Requirements for Adoption Agencies may report such alleged violations to the Office of Licensing;

5. That any parent may secure a copy of this chapter by contacting the Office of Licensing, Department of Children and Families;

6. That when so requested by parents of children served by the agency, the agency shall make available for review the Office of Licensing's certification records and any Inspection or Violation Reports on the agency, except for those records prohibited from disclosure, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 9:6-8.10a and any other laws prohibiting such disclosure;

7. That any person who has reasonable cause to believe that a child being served by the agency has been or is being subjected to any form of child abuse or neglect or exploitation by any person, whether working at the agency or not, shall report such allegations to the Department of Children and Families' toll-free hotline, 1-877-NJ-ABUSE (652-2873), pursuant to N.J.S.A. 9:6-8.8 et seq. and to the child abuse reporting hotline in the state where the child is located. Such reports may be made anonymously;

8. That parents may secure information about child abuse and neglect in New Jersey online from the Department of Children and Families at www.nj.gov/dcf/reporting;

9. That the agency shall cooperate with the adoptive parents and/or the attorney retained by the adoptive parents in providing all financial information needed for the finalization report pursuant to N.J.S.A. 9:3-37 et seq.; and

10. Data on adoptions completed during the previous 12 months.

(c) When a child has been identified by the agency as having a disability or suspected disability and services have not been arranged, the agency shall inform the parent(s) of their child's right to special educational and medical services and shall refer the parent(s) to:

1. The New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, or the equivalent office in the state where the child lives, for a possible comprehensive evaluation and individual service plan for the child; and

2. The New Jersey Department of Health, Division of Family Health Services, Special Child Health and Early Intervention Services, or the equivalent office in the state where the child lives, for a possible comprehensive medical evaluation for the child.

N.J. Admin. Code § 3A:50-3.4

Amended by R.1992 d.514, effective 12/21/1992.
See: 24 N.J.R. 3500(a), 24 N.J.R. 4552(a).
Stylistic changes.
Administrative Correction.
See: 25 N.J.R. 2883(b).
Amended by R.1997 d.480, effective 11/17/1997.
See: 29 N.J.R. 3230(a), 29 N.J.R. 4857(a).
Added (a)10.
Amended by R.2011 d.245, effective 10/3/2011.
See: 42 N.J.R. 1965(a), 43 N.J.R. 2600(a).
In (b)1, substituted "New Jersey Department of Children and Families" for "Bureau of Licensing of the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services"; in (b)4, substituted "parent who believes or suspects" for "parents who believe or suspect" and "Office" for "Bureau"; rewrote (b)5, (b)7 and (b)8; in (b)6, substituted "Office of Licensing's" for "Bureau's"; in the introductory paragraph of (c), substituted "disability" for "handicapping condition" twice; and in (c)2, inserted "and Senior Services".
Amended by R.2016 d.052, effective 6/6/2016.
See: 47 N.J.R. 3078(a), 48 N.J.R. 103(a), 48 N.J.R. 965(a).
Section was "Information to parents and adoption applicants". Rewrote (b), (c)1, and (c)2.