Title XII, Public Safety and Welfare

I. Within 7 days after the final decree is filed, the clerk shall send a hard copy of the report of the adoption to the town clerk of the town where the adoptee was born, to the commissioner, and to the department of state, division of vital records administration. The department…

State registry files and all other related confidential information kept by any state agency may be used by the department for the purpose of investigation and licensure. The department shall strictly observe the confidentiality requirements of the agency from which it receives i…

Notwithstanding any other law concerning public hearings and records: I. All hearings held in adoptive proceedings shall be in closed court without admittance of any person other than essential officers of the court, the parties, their witnesses, counsel, and representatives of t…

The purpose of this subdivision is to provide for the licensing of residential care and child-placing agencies.

I. Requests for non-identifying social or medical information shall be handled in the following manner: (a) Requests for non-identifying social or medical information may be made by an adoptee over the age of 18; a parent of an adoptee under the age of 18; or a birth parent of an…

I. Upon the issuance of the final decree of adoption, the adoptee shall be considered the child of the adopting parent or parents, entitled to the same rights and privileges and subject to the same duties and obligations as if such adoptee had been born of the adopting parent or …

In this subdivision: I. "Child" means any person under 21 years of age, or up to the age of a child with a disability as defined in RSA 186-C:2, I and is receiving special education or special education and related services as identified by the child's school district. II. "Child…

I. The definitions in RSA 170-E:25, II and III shall not apply to the following: (a) Families housing exchange students or up to 4 children in summer exchange programs. (b) Nonresident families visiting the state for purposes of a vacation who have in their care foster children f…

If in a petition for the adoption of a child a change of name is requested, the court, upon decreeing the adoption, may also decree such change of name.

I. Any adoptee may be readopted in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. All provisions relating to the birth parent or parents shall apply to the adoptive parent or parents except that in no case of readoption shall a birth parent be made a party to the proceedings, no…

I. No person may establish, maintain, operate or conduct any agency for child care or for child-placing without a license or permit issued by the department under this subdivision. II. No person, whether licensed as a child care agency or institution or child-placing agency, or e…

Any child care agency which receives children for the purpose of providing a homeless youth program, as defined in RSA 170-E:25, II(d), shall be subject to the following provisions: I. When a child 16 or 17 years of age contacts a homeless youth program requesting emergency shelt…

There shall be no vaccination or immunization requirements required of any children residing in a foster home that exceed vaccination or immunization requirements under RSA 141-C:20-a, either in type of vaccination, quantity of doses, or exemptions. There shall be no vaccination …

I. Any entity which intends to receive children, or arranges for child care or child placement of one or more children unrelated to the operator, shall apply for a license to operate one or more of the types of facilities for child care. Application for a license to operate a chi…

Any person or any public or private agency, corporation, or organization, before bringing or causing any child to be brought into this state from any other state or country for the purpose of adoption, or receiving such child in this state for such purpose, shall make application…

A decree of court terminating the relationship of parent and child or establishing the relation by adoption issued pursuant to due process of law by a court of any other jurisdiction within or without the United States shall be recognized in this state and the rights and obligati…

I. Foster family homes, institutions, and child-placing agencies shall, within 30 days of adding new staff members responsible for care of or in regular contact with children, submit the names, birth dates, and addresses of such staff members to the department. II. Except in the …

I. Child care institutions and child care agencies, with the exception of foster family homes, that are required to be licensed according to the provisions of this chapter shall submit to the department the names, birth names, aliases, birth dates, and resident addresses during t…

I. [Repealed.] II. There shall be an administrator for each of the bureaus of the department established by RSA 170-G:2 to administer the laws and rules relative to his respective bureau, subject to the supervision of the commissioner. The administrator of each bureau within the …

The "appropriate public authorities" as used in Article III of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children shall, with reference to this state, mean the department of health and human services and said department shall receive and act with reference to notices required by…

Any individual may be adopted, provided, however, that: I. If the adoptee is 14 years of age or older, he or she must assent to the adoption unless the court determines that it is not in the best interests of the adoptee to require assent. Such an assent shall be executed by the …

The probate court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction over petitions to terminate the parent-child relationship when the child involved is present in the state or is in the legal custody or legal guardianship of an authorized agency located in the state. The petition shall…

I. The definitions in RSA 170-E:2, IV shall not apply to the following: (a) Kindergartens, nursery schools, or any other daytime programs operated by a public or private elementary or secondary school system or institution of higher learning. (b) Programs offering instruction to …

There shall be a juvenile parole board with 5 members and 2 alternate members. The members and alternate members of the board shall be appointed by the governor with the consent of the council for staggered terms of 5 years or until their successors are appointed. An alternate me…

Any child day care providers exempt from licensing under RSA 170-E:3 which receive state funds or subsidies in payment for the provision of child day care shall, as a condition of receiving state funds or subsidies, provide their names, birth names, birth dates and addresses, and…

All entry fees and court costs shall be paid by the petitioner. The court, however, may waive entry fees and court costs where payment would work a hardship on the petitioner. The department is exempt from paying any entry fees and court costs.

In addition to the steps required in RSA 170-E:29, the department, upon receiving an application and authorization filed by a child care institution or child-placing agency in proper order, shall, in cooperation with the operator, examine the facility or agency, and investigate t…

I. Licenses shall be issued in such form and manner as prescribed by rules adopted by the commissioner under RSA 541-A and, for foster family homes, and kinship care homes, shall be valid for 2 years from the date issued, unless revoked by the department, or voluntarily surrender…

A birth certificate issued for an adoptee shall make no reference to adoption and shall conform as nearly as possible to any other birth certificate.

Any qualified residential treatment program accredited by organizations as specified in Title 42 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. section 672(k)(4)(G), as amended, shall submit a completed license application or renewal application. Such child care institutions and child car…

I. In this section: (a) "Advertise through a public medium" means to communicate by any public medium, including by newspaper, periodical, telephone book listing, outdoor advertising sign, radio, television, or by computerized communication system, which includes an Internet site…

I. A licensed child care agency, child care institution, or child-placing agency shall file for renewal of its license 3 months prior to the expiration date of the license on forms prescribed by rules adopted by the commissioner under RSA 541-A. II. The department, a duly license…

I. The department shall keep in a central depository records of licenses issued under this subdivision and all monitoring reports that have been made relative to licensees. II. The license itself shall be considered public information and available for review by members of the pu…

It shall be unlawful for a child's parent or legal guardian to knowingly place a child for adoption, or knowingly attempt to place a child for adoption through the use of a power of attorney or other legal document in this state unless such parent or legal guardian follows the pr…

I. The commissioner shall adopt rules, under RSA 541-A, relative to: (a) Minimum standards for licensing which apply to the various types of facilities for child care and child placement. The department shall seek the advice and assistance of persons representative of the various…

The department may suspend, revoke, deny, or refuse to renew any license, or revoke or refuse to issue a full license to any permit holder, whether or not the person, institution or agency is approved by a child-placing agency, if the licensee or permit holder: I. Neglects or abu…

I. Should the department determine to suspend, revoke or deny, or refuse to renew a license or permit, it shall send to the applicant, licensee or permittee, by registered mail, a notice which sets forth the particular reasons for the determination. The suspension, revocation, or…

Any person aggrieved by any decision rendered after a rehearing held or an appeal brought under RSA 170-E:36, IV may appeal the decision to the superior court.

Whenever the department is advised, or has reason to believe, that any entity is operating a child care facility or child-placing agency without a license or permit, it may make an investigation to ascertain the facts. If it finds that the child care facility or child-placing age…

A child care agency, child care institution, or child-placing agency licensed or operating under a permit issued by the department may publish advertisements of the services for which it is specifically licensed or issued a permit under this subdivision. No person who is required…

Any of the following adults may adopt: I. Two adults together. II. An unmarried adult. III. The unmarried parent of the adoptee. IV. A married adult without that person's spouse joining as a petitioner, if the adoptee is not the petitioner's spouse; and if any one of the followin…

The juvenile parole board shall: I. Be responsible for paroling delinquents from facilities under the supervision of the commissioner, subject to the applicable provisions of this chapter. II. Have legal custody of all delinquents released on parole until they receive their disch…

I. No person shall establish, maintain, operate or conduct any child day care agency without a license or permit issued by the department under this subdivision. The requirements of this chapter applicable to licensed child day care agencies shall apply with equal force to any ch…

A petition for termination of the parent-child relationship may be filed by the following: I. Either parent when termination of the parent-child relationship is sought with respect to the other parent. II. The guardian of the person or the legal custodian of the child or the fost…

The department shall have the power and duty to: I. [Repealed.] II. Provide, through social workers, services for all children and youth referred to it by the probate and district courts pursuant to RSA 169-C; 170-B; 170-C; and 463 and for all children and youth who are at risk o…

The officers and agencies of this state and its subdivisions having authority to place children are hereby empowered to enter into agreements with appropriate officers or agencies of or in other party states pursuant to paragraph (b) of Article V of the Interstate Compact on the …