Use of Advertising and Facilitators in Adoptive Placements - Pennsylvania

Use of Advertisement

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Use of Intermediaries/Facilitators

Citation: Cons. Stat. Tit. 23, §§ 2102; 2530; 2533

An 'intermediary' is a person or agency acting between the parent or parents and proposed adoptive parent or parents in arranging an adoptive placement. No intermediary shall place a child with a prospective adoptive parent unless there is a favorable home study that has been completed within 3 years and supplemented within 1 year.

If the home study has not been completed, the child may be placed with the prospective adoptive parent if the intermediary has no reason to believe that the parent would not receive a favorable recommendation, the agency conducting the home study assents to the interim placement, and the intermediary notifies the court. If at any time prior to the completion of the home study the court is notified by the individual or agency conducting the home study that it withdraws its assent to the interim placement, the court may order the placement of the child in temporary foster care with an agency until a favorable recommendation for placement is received.

Within 6 months of filing the report of intention to adopt, the intermediary shall make a written report, to include the following:

• In-depth background information about the child and the child's birth parents
• Name and address of the intermediary
• An itemized accounting of moneys and considerations paid or to be received by the intermediary or any other person

Only the following payments to an intermediary are permitted:

• Reimbursement for medical and hospital expenses of the birth mother for prenatal care and hospital expenses of mother and child incident to the birth
• Medical, hospital, and foster care expenses of the child prior to adoption
• Reasonable expenses for counseling and training services provided to the adoptive parents or for home studies or investigations
• Reasonable administrative expenses incurred by the agency, including overhead costs and attorney fees