10A NCAC 70H .0113      FEES

(a)  County departments of social services may charge reasonable fees for the preparation of a preplacement assessment or report to the court in accordance with G.S. 48-3-304(a) and G.S. 48-2-504(a). No fee shall be charged except pursuant to a written fee agreement which must be signed by the parties to be charged prior to the beginning of the preparation. The fee agreement shall not be based on the outcome of the report or the adoption proceeding.

(b)  Maximum fees for the preparation of the reports shall not exceed:

(1)           One thousand five hundred dollars ($1500) for the preplacement assessment and report to the court; and

(2)           Two hundred dollars ($200.00) for report to the court only.

(c)  No fee shall be charged when one or more of the following circumstances exists:

(1)           The head of household for the prospective adoptive family is an AFDC or SSI recipient;

(2)           The family unit's income is below the State's Established Income (or 150% of the 1992 Federal Poverty Level); or

(3)           The family has identified an adoptee who is in the custody and placement responsibility of the Department of Social Services, and provided that the adoptive family continues to pursue the adoption of the identified child.

(d)  Fees for the above reports may be reduced or waived if it can be documented in the case record that the prospective adoptive family cannot pay the required fee. Unless reduced or waived, the entire fee shall be paid in accordance with local policy.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 48-2-404; 48-3-304;

Temporary Adoption Eff. July 1, 1996;

Recodified from 10 NCAC 41P .0013 Eff. December 6, 1996;

Eff. April 1, 1997;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. October 3, 2017.