Use of Advertising and Facilitators in Adoptive Placements - Michigan

Use of Advertisement

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Use of Intermediaries/Facilitators

Citation: Comp. Laws §§ 722.124b(c)-(d); 722.956

The following terms are defined as follows:

• An 'adoption facilitator' is a child-placing agency or an adoption attorney who assists birth parents or prospective adoptive parents with adoptions.
• A 'primary adoption facilitator' is the adoption facilitator who files the court documents on behalf of the prospective adoptive parent.

An adoption facilitator shall do the following:

• Provide services related to adoption, including postadoption services
• Provide each person who inquires about services with the pamphlet prepared by the Department of Human Services describing the adoption process
• Provide to each person who inquires about services a written document that includes the following information:
  • The types of adoptions the adoption facilitator handles
  • The services that the adoption facilitator provides
  • Eligibility requirements the adoption facilitator has for adoptive families, if any
  • If the facilitator is a child-placing agency, the procedure used for selecting a prospective adoptive parent for a child, including the role of the child's parent(s) in the selection process
  • The extent to which the facilitator permits or encourages the exchange of identifying information or contact between birth and adoptive parents
  • A schedule of all fees
• Ensure that each prospective adoptive parent completes an orientation program consistent with requirements developed by the department
• Disclose to the prospective adoptive parent all known information about the child's medical and psychological needs