RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 6 (HB 37) 2021 Regular Session Bacala
New law requires multiple visits by a social worker, counselor, psychologist, psychiatrist,
or therapist, who is required to document each visit, prior to the final agency adoption decree.
The observations made during the visits shall be used in making recommendations for
finalizations of agency adoptions.
New law requires the families and children be provided assistance, consultation, and 24-hour
crisis intervention through finalization.
New law requires courts to report adoptions and statistical, nonidentifying information to
DCFS including the age of the child and whether the adoptive parents are related to the child.
New law requires DCFS to release a yearly report of adoption statistics within the state and
adoptions that place the child out-of-state.
Prior law authorized courts to render a final decree at first hearings for private adoptions if
the child had lived in the petitioner's home for one year.
New law shortens the length of time a child has lived in the petitioner's home to six months.
New law requires multiple visits by a social worker, counselor, psychologist, psychiatrist,
or therapist, who is required to document each visit, prior to the final private adoption decree.
The observations made during the visits shall be used in making recommendations for
finalizations of private adoptions.
Effective August 1, 2021.
(Amends Ch.C. Arts. 1213(A) and (B), 1233, and 1235; Adds Ch.C. Arts. 1213(D), 1217.1,
and 1239.1)