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<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="5-4B-01" title_number="5" title_name="Children" subtitle_number="4B" subtitle_name="Adoption Search, Contact, and Reunion Services">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>“Administration” means the Social Services Administration of the Department.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>“Confidential intermediary” means an individual or child placement agency qualified by the Director for the purpose of providing search, contact, and reunion services under this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>“Director” means the Director of the Administration.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>“Member of the adoptive family” means an adoptive parent, grandparent, brother, or sister of an adopted individual.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, “relative” means a parent, brother, sister, child, aunt, or uncle of a biological parent.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In the case of a minor in out–of–home placement who was adopted through a local department, “relative” means an individual at least 21 years old who is related to the minor by blood or marriage within five degrees of consanguinity or affinity under the civil law rule.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>“Search, contact, and reunion services” means services:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>to locate adopted individuals, biological parents of adopted individuals, siblings of adopted individuals, and, as provided in § 5–4B–11 of this subtitle, relatives and members of the adoptive family;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>to assess the mutual desire for communication or disclosure of information:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>between adopted individuals and biological parents of adopted individuals;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>between adopted individuals and siblings of adopted individuals; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>as provided in § 5–4B–11 of this subtitle, between:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>adopted individuals and relatives; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>biological parents and members of the adoptive family;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>to provide, or provide referral to, counseling for adopted individuals, biological parents of adopted individuals, siblings of adopted individuals, relatives, and members of the adoptive family;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>if siblings of a minor in out–of–home placement were adopted through a local department, to contact the siblings to develop a placement resource or facilitate a family connection with the siblings of the minor; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>if a minor in out–of–home placement was adopted through a local department and a local department has determined that reunification with the minor’s adoptive parents is not in the minor’s best interests, to contact relatives of the minor to develop a placement resource or facilitate a family connection with the relatives.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>“Sibling” means a brother or sister of the whole or half blood who:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>is at least 21 years old; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>has been adopted.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
