To amend the adoption opportunities program to define unregulated custody transfers of children and to improve awareness and prevention of such transfers, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · November 15, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
The Safe Home Act of 2023 addresses unregulated custody transfers, which occur when parents or guardians abandon adopted children to individuals outside the formal legal system without proper safety checks or court oversight. The bill defines these transfers as illegal placements that lack background checks, home studies, and legal documentation of parental rights, distinguishing them from legitimate safe haven surrenders. The legislation directs the federal government to improve public awareness about preventing adoption disruption through updated websites and educational materials for child welfare agencies and prospective adoptive families. Within two years of enactment, the Secretary of Health and Human Services must submit a comprehensive report to Congress examining the causes and prevalence of these transfers, their effects on children, and policy recommendations for prevention. The bill applies to all states and particularly affects adoptive families, child welfare agencies, and intercountry adoptees who may be at risk of losing U.S. citizenship if transfers occur before finalization.
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