As used in this chapter: (a) âAccredited agencyâ means an agency that has been accredited by an accrediting entity, in accordance with the standards in Subpart F (commencing with Section 96.29) of Part 96 of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, to provide adoption services in the United States in cases subject to the convention. Accredited agency does not include a temporarily accredited agency. (b) âAdoption serviceâ means any of the following services: (1) Identifying a child for adoption and arranging an adoption. (2) Securing the necessary consent to termination of parental rights and to adoption. (3) Performing a background study on a child or a home study on any prospective adoptive parent, and reporting on the study. (4) Making nonjudicial determinations of the best interests of a child and the appropriateness of an adoptive placement for the child. (5) Monitoring a case after a child has been placed with any prospective adoptive parent until final adoption. (6) If necessary because of a disruption before final adoption, assuming custody and providing or facilitating child care or any other social service pending an alternative placement. (c) âCentral authorityâ means the entity designated under paragraph (1) of Article 6 of the convention by a convention country. The United States Department of State is designated as the United States Central Authority pursuant to the federal Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 14911). (d) âConventionâ means the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, May 29, 1993. (e) âConvention adoptionâ means the adoption of a child resident in a convention country by a United States citizen, or an adoption of a child resident in the United States by an individual or individuals residing in a convention country, if, in connection with the adoption, the child has moved or will move between the United States and the convention country. (f) âConvention countryâ means a country that is party to the convention and with which the convention is in force for the United States. (g) âExempted providerâ means a social work professional or organization that performs a home study on any prospective adoptive parent, or a child background study, or both, in the United States in connection with a convention adoption, and who is not currently providing and has not previously provided any other adoption service in the case. (h) âHague adoption certificateâ means a certificate issued by the secretary in an outgoing case (where the child is emigrating from the United States to another convention country) certifying that a child has been adopted in the United States in accordance with the convention and, except as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 97.4 of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 14901 et seq.; the IAA). (i) âHague custody declarationâ means a declaration issued by the secretary in an outgoing case (where the child is emigrating from the United States to another convention country) declaring that custody of a child for purposes of adoption has been granted in the United States in accordance with the convention and, except as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 97.4 of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the IAA. (j) âLegal serviceâ means any service, other than those defined in this section as an adoption service, that relates to the provision of legal advice and information or to the drafting of legal instruments. Legal service includes, but is not limited to, any of the following services: (1) Drafting contracts, powers of attorney, and other legal instruments. (2) Providing advice and counsel to an adoptive parent on completing forms for the State Department of Health Care Services or the United States Department of State. (3) Providing advice and counsel to accredited agencies, temporarily accredited agencies
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