<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".04" citation="COMAR 07.02.12.04" title_num="07" subtitle_num="02" chapter_num="12" heading="Post Adoption Services.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>Post adoption services may be provided to support the adoptive placement after adoption finalization in accordance with available staff resources.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Upon request of the adoptive family, the local department may make the following services available:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Short-term adoption related counseling;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Information and referral services; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Provision of any additionally acquired medical, social, psychological, and genetic history of the minor adoptee to the adoptive family.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>The agency shall provide services to the birth parent of an adopted individual until the adoptee is 21 years old:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Providing a birth parent the opportunity to update agency records with the appropriate birth family history;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Providing a birth parent the opportunity to release the agency from the confidentiality requirements relating to identifying information requested by the adult adoptee at some later date;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Accepting from a birth parent medical information critical to the adoptee’s growth and development, and making full effort to communicate this to the adoptive family or the adult adoptee, as appropriate;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>Accepting from an adoptee or the adoptive family medical information which may be critical to the birth family, and making efforts to communicate this to the birth family; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>Providing information and referral, when appropriate, regarding services available through the Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry and search, contact, and reunion services as set forth in COMAR 07.02.13.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>The local department shall provide information to the adoptive family regarding the following:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Counseling in support of the placement and to prevent dissolution of the adoption;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Post Adoption Permanency Program services as described in §F of this regulation;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Referral services; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>The Maryland Tuition Waiver and the Maryland Education and Training Voucher program as set forth in COMAR 07.02.11.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>Release of Nonidentifying Information.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Upon request of an adoptee, or the adoptive or birth parent, a local department shall release all non-identifying medical and birth family history information contained in the closed adoption file to the requestor.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>When a local department has no medical information, local department staff shall inform the requestor of the:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Lack of the requested information; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Right to petition the court to appoint a special intermediary to gather the needed medical information if the adoptee or a blood relative of the adoptee or birth parent has an urgent need for the medical information.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>When an adoptee or birth parent petitions the court for medical information, a local department shall attempt to locate the adoptee or the birth parent in order to obtain the needed medical information after the court:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Makes a judicial determination that there is an urgent need for the medical information; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Appoints the local department as the intermediary.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>When a local department has been appointed intermediary and the adoptee or birth parent has been located, the local department:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Shall advise the individual of the need for the medical information without revealing any identifying information about the adoptee or birth parent:</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>May not encourage or discourage contact between the adoptee and the individual’s birth parent; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Shall file a confidential report with the court addressing the efforts to contact the adoptee and the birth parent and the results when efforts to locate the adoptee or birth parent are completed.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>A local department shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Provide all the available information on the location of the birth parent to anyone who has been court ordered to act as intermediary; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Place a copy of the court order appointing the intermediary in the records of the individuals involved.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="F.">
    <text>Post Adoption Permanency Program Services.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>The purpose of the Post Adoption Permanency Program services is to provide post adoption assistance in the form of services to children adopted through a public agency or a licensed private agency and their adoptive families.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>A local department shall notify families of the availability of post adoption support services during the adoption orientation process.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Upon the request of an adoptive parent for available post adoption support services, the local department of social services shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Obtain a copy of the adoption decree from the adoptive family requesting support services;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Conduct a clinical assessment of the needs of the child and the adoptive family; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Determine whether the adopted child is at risk of coming into of out-of-home placement, or foster care placement and in need of post adoption support services not available from other resources.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>Upon determining that an adopted child and adoptive family are in need of post adoption support services the local department shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Develop with the family a proposed post adoption support services plan that:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Identifies treatment goals;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Suggests treatment modalities; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Recommends services;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Select appropriate vendors from those providers approved by the local department; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Submit the plan to the Administration for review and funding plan approval.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>Upon submission of the proposed support services plan, the Executive Director or designee shall determine whether to approve the service plan and the funding necessary to implement the plan.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>The Administration shall notify the local department of the status of the proposed service plan within 15 days of receipt of the service plan request.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>Funds available for the provision of post adoption support services shall be:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Limited to the maximum amount established by the Maryland General Assembly; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Provided during a fixed year until allocated funds are expended.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(8)">
      <text>The local department shall provide the post adoption support services to the adopted child or the adoptive family upon approval and release of funds by the Administration.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(9)">
      <text>Services may include:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Short-term adoption-related counseling;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Medical treatment;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Mental health services;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Crisis intervention services; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>Information and referral services.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>