HB1579--ADOPTION
SPONSOR: Amato
ThisbillestablisheswithintheDepartmentofSocialServicesthe
DivisionofMaternalandChildResources,whichhasthepurposeof
coordinatingandapplyingforservicesforexpectingmotherswho
wishtoplacetheirbabyforadoptionandplacingsuchbabiesfor
adoptionwithfitandproperadoptiveparents. Additionalpowers,
duties,andfunctionsastheyrelatetotheDivision'spurposeare
specifiedinthebill.Relevantsectionsofexistinglawgoverning
theDepartment'sFamilySupportandChildren'sDivisionsare
updatedtoincludetheDivisionofMaternalandChildResources.
TheDivisionisrequiredtoestablisha"MissouriAdoptive
ResourcesServicesSystem"fortheentireState,thefunctionof
whichistopromotethesafeandhealthybirthofchildreninthe
Statethroughtheutilizationofexistingresources;coordinate
communityresourcesandprovideassistanceorservicestoexpecting
mothersidentifiedtobeatriskforseekingabortionservices;and
preventabortionsthroughtheadoptionofchildrenbyfitand
properadoptiveparents.
TheDivisionisrequiredtomakeandmaintainacentralregistryof
eachexpectingmotherwhohasvoluntarilydecidedtoplacethe
unbornchildforadoptionandacentralregistryofeach
prospectiveadoptiveparentwhohassuccessfullycompletedcertain
screenings,backgroundchecks,homestudies,andother
investigations toensurethefitoftheprospectiveparenttoadopt
achild.Theregistriesmustbemadeavailabletothepartyor
partiesoftheotherregistry. Additionally,theDivisionmust
maintainmechanismsasnecessarytofacilitateintroductions
betweenanexpectingmotherandprospectiveadoptiveparent;
facilitatecertainadoptiveproceedings;assistanexpectingmother
atriskforseekinganabortioninapplyingforexistingservices
andresources;collaboratewiththecommunitytoidentifysuch
comprehensiveservices;maintainarecordcontainingsuchservices
providedtoanexpectingmotherandalladoptiveproceedingsfora
childborntoanexpectingmotherwhoisseekingservices;and,
whenavailableorappropriate,contractfortheprovisionof
servicesthroughchildren'sservicesprovidersandagenciesinthe
community.
ThisbillprovidesthatitisthepolicyofthisStateandits
agenciestoimplementasystemtoreducethenumberofpreventable
abortionsintheStatebyassistingexpectingmothersinaccessing
resourcesaswellasfacilitatingtheadoptionofachildwhowould
haveotherwisebeenaborted. TheDivisionisrequiredtoestablishanevaluationtoolanda
responseandevaluationteam.Thetoolisrequiredtoinclude
metricssupportingbestpracticesforcasemanagementandservice
provision,thoughproviderscanproposedifferentmetricsfor
evaluationunderacase-by-casebasis.Theteam'smembershipis
composedofthreestaffmembersoftheDivisionwithcertainskills
andexperience;twostaffmembersofeithertheDepartmentof
SocialServicesortheChildren'sDivision,tobeappointedbythe
DirectoroftheDepartment;fourexpertswithexperiencein
medical,socialwork,legal,orotherrelevantareas,appointedby
theGovernor;andonejuvenileorfamilycourtjudge,appointedby
theMissouriSupremeCourt.
Theresponseandevaluationteamisrequiredtoreviewthe
evaluationtoolanditsmetricstodeterminetheneedfor
adjustmentsorwhetherthereareissuesaffectingthequalityof
suchtools;developandexecuteperiodicproviderevaluationsof
casesmanagedbytheDivisionandserviceproviderscontractedwith
theStatetoprovidecasemanagementservices;anddevelopasystem
forreviewingandworkingwithcertainproviderswhoshowsignsof
performanceweaknesstoensuretechnicalassistanceandservices
areoffered.
TheDivisionisrequiredtoenterintoandimplementcontractswith
qualifiedchildren'sservicesprovidersandagenciestoprovidea
systemofservicedeliveryforexpectingmothers,fathers,
prospectiveadoptiveparents,andchildren. Paymenttothe
servicesprovidersmustbemadebasedonthereasonablecostsof
services,includingthosecostsnecessarytoexecutethecontract.
TheDivisionisalsorequiredtoconsiderimmediateactionsthat
areinthebestinterestsofexpectingmothers,fathers,
prospectiveadoptiveparents,andchildrenthatinclude,butare
notlimitedto,placingagenciesoncorrectiveplans,haltingnew
referrals,transferringcases,orterminatingprovidercontracts.
ByJuly1,2026,theDivisionmusthaveineffectrulesto
implementtheprovisionsofthisbill,includingplansanddates.
Certainprivatecontractors,whointheircapacitiesaschildren's
servicesprovidersandagenciesreceiveStatemoneysfromthe
DivisionorDepartment,havequalifiedimmunityfromcivil
liabilityforprovidingsuchservicestothesameextentthatthe
Divisionhasqualifiedimmunity.
TheDivisioncansharerecords,information,andfindingswith
Federal,State,orlocalchildwelfareagencypersonnelandlaw
enforcementagencies,includingthoseoutsideofthisState,inthe
performanceoftheDivision'sduties.Acceptableinformationthat
canbesharedisspecifiedinthebill. TheDivisionisrequiredtoensuretheconfidentiality ofall
reportsandrecordsmadeundertheprovisionsofthisbill,and
mustestablishguidelinestoensureanydisclosureofinformation
concerninganyparticipantinthesystemismadeonlytothosewith
arighttosuchinformation. Thebillspecifieswhichpersonshave
accesstoinvestigationrecordscontainedinthecentralregistry.
Apersonwhoviolatestheprovisionsofthisbillrelatingtothe
disclosureofinformation,orwhopermitsorencouragesthe
unauthorizeddisseminationofsuchinformationcontainedinthe
systemorcentralregistry,isguiltyofaclassAmisdemeanor.
ThisbillrequirestheDivisiontocreateandmaintainadatabase
ofexpectingmothersandprospectiveadoptiveparentsforthe
purposesofidentifyingchildrenwhomaybesuitableforadopting,
andadatabaseofattorneyswhoarelicensedandingoodstanding
withtheMissouriSupremeCourt,whoagreetoprovidelegal
servicesinconjunctionwiththeadoptionofchildrenidentified
throughthesystemundertheprovisionsofthisbill.
AnyemployeeoftheDivisionwhopurposefully,knowingly,and
willfullyviolatestheDivision'spoliciesorpromulgatedrules,or
anystatelawdirectlyrelatingtotheactivitiesoftheDivision
mustbedismissediftheviolationdirectlyresultsinserious
physicalinjuryorthedeathofanexpectingmother,father,or
child.However,theemployee'sgoodfaitheffortstofollowthe
Division'spoliciesorpromulgatedrules,orrelevantstatelaws,
mustbeamitigatingfactorindeterminingwhetheranemployeeof
orprivatecontractorwiththeDivisionisdismissed.
ThebillallowstheDivisionofMaternalandChildResourcesto
placeaminorforadoption.
ThisbillissimilartoHCSHB807(2025).