Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 87.djvu/1090

 1058

PUBLIC LAW 93-241-JAN. 2, 1974

[87 STAT.

"SEC. 11. The Commissioner of the District of Columbia (hereinafter referred to as the 'Commissioner') may— "(1) make temporary provision for the care of children pending investigation of their status; "(2) have the care and legal guardianship, including the pov.er to consent to or arrange for adoption in appropriate cases, of— " (A) children who may be committed to the Commissioner as wards of the District of Columbia by courts of competent jurisdiction; and " (B) children who are relinquished by their parents to the Commissioner or whose relinquishment is transferred to the Commissioner by a licensed child-placing agency under section 6 of the Act entitled 'An Act to regulate the placing; of children in family homes, and for other purposes', g/stat^ 57 8^"^' approved April 22, 1944 (D.C. Code, sec. 32-786); and "(3) make such provision for the care and maintenance of such children in private homes, under contract, including adoption subsidy pursuant to section 3 of the Act of J u l ^ 26, 1892 (D.(\ Code, 27 Stat.,269. sec. 3-115), Or in public or private institutions, as the welfare of such children may require; and "(4) provide care and maintenance for substantially retarded children who may be received upon application or up(m court commitment, in institutions or homes or other facilities equipped to receive them, within or without the District of Columbia. The Commissioner shall cause the wards of the District of Columbia placed out under temporary care to be visited as often as may be required to safeguard their welfare. (2) Section 3 of the Act of July 26, 1892 (D.C. Code, sec. 3-115), is amended to read as follows: "SEC. 3. (a) Except as provided in subsection (f), the Commissioned may conclude arrangements with persons or institutions at such rates as may be agreed upon. i^^°^J'T^^^^' " (b)(1) The Commissioner may make adoption subsidy payments sidy payments. """ "°"'"°"'° ^Q ^j^ adoptive family (irrespective of the State of residence of the family), as needed, on behalf of a child with special needs, where such child would in all likelihood go without adoption except for the acceptance of the child as a member of the adoptive family, and where the adoptive family has the capability of providing the permanent family relationships needed by such child in all areas except financial, as determined by the Commissioner. Subsidy payments may be made under this section only pursuant to a subsidy payment agreement entered into by the Commissioner and the adoptive parents concerned prior to completion of the adoptive process, but subsidy payments may be made before such adoption becomes final. " (2) For the purposes of this subsection— •Child with « ( ^) Xhe term 'child with special needs' includes any child who special needs.'' """' "'""'° is difficult to place in adoption because of age, race, or ethnic

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