Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 68 Part 1.djvu/279

 68

STAT.]

PUBLIC LAW 3 9 3 - J U N E 8, 1954

"SEC. 3. Within sixty days after the date of the enactment of section 12 of this Act, the Commissioners shall appoint, after consultation with the Department of Public Welfare, a committee to formulate and adopt rules and regulations, subject to the approval of the Commissioners, prescribing standards of placement, care, and services to be required of child-placing agencies, pursuant to the intent and purposes of this Act. The committee shall be composed of two representatives of the Department of Public Welfare of the District of Columbia, one of whom shall act as chairman, a member of the staff of the Department of Health of the District of Columbia, two representatives from each of the charitable organizations of the District of Columbia licensed to place children in family homes, a member of the legal profession, and a member of the medical profession. The terms of office of each member of the committee shall be three years, except that— "(1) the terms of office of the members first taking office shall expire, as designated by the Commissioners at the time of appointment, approximately one-third at the end of one year, approximately one-third at the end of two years, and approximately onethird at the end of three years, after the date of the enactment of section 12; "(2) any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term; and "(3) upon the expiration of his term of office a member shall continue to serve until his successor is appointed and has qualified. The rules and regulations prescribing standards of placement, care, and services to be required of child-placing agencies shall be reviewed by the committee annually and, subject to the approval of the Commissioners, may be amended when deemed necessary." SEC. 2. The last paragraph of section 4 of such Act is amended by striking out "from the date of the passage of this Act". SEC. 3. The last paragraph of section 5 of such Act is amended to read as follows: "Kecords which are deemed confidential shall not be available for inspection by nor disclosed to any person, firm, corporation, association, or public agency, except that such records shall be available for inspection by authorities authorized by law to license child-placing agencies. Such records shall not be subject to judicial subpena in collateral proceedings, except that the licensed child-placing agency and the Commissioners, in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated hereunder, may make such records, or any information contained in such records, available (1) when the Commissioners or such agency determines that any information contained in such records shall promote or protect the interest and welfare of any child the Commissioners or such agency has served, and (2) for the purpose of research if adequate safeguards are taken against the disclosure or publication in any manner of the identity of any person contained in such records." SEC. 4. Such Act is amended by inserting immediately after section 5 the following new section: "SEC. 5 A. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Act, the Commissioners are authorized to enter into agreements with any person, firm, corporation, association, or public agency licensed or authorized by a State or country for the care and placement of minors, permitting such person, firm, corporation, association, or public agency to place

247 Committee to formulate standards, etc.

Terms of office.

D. C, Code 32784* D. C, Code 32785. Confidential records.

N o nres ident children*

�