(1) The department shall establish a state adoption information center for the purpose of increasing public knowledge about adoption and promoting to adolescents and pregnant women the availability of adoption services. The department shall contract with one or more licensed child-placing agencies to operate the state adoption information center.
(2) The functions of the state adoption information center shall include:
(a) Providing a training program for persons who counsel adolescents, including, but not limited to, school counselors, county child welfare services employees, and family planning clinic employees.
(b) Recruiting adoption services specialist trainees, and providing a training program for such specialists.
(c) Operating a toll-free telephone number to provide information and referral services. The state adoption information center shall provide contact information for all adoption entities in the caller’s county or, if no adoption entities are located in the caller’s county, the number of the nearest adoption entity when contacted for a referral to make an adoption plan and shall rotate the order in which the names of adoption entities are provided to callers.
(d) Distributing pamphlets which provide information on the availability of adoption services.
(e) Promoting adoption through the communications media.
(f) Maintaining a list of licensed child-placing agencies eligible and willing to take custody of and place newborn infants left at a hospital, pursuant to s. 383.50. The names and contact information for the licensed child-placing agencies on the list shall be provided on a rotating basis to the statewide central abuse hotline.
(3) The department shall ensure equitable distribution of referrals to licensed child-placing agencies.
History.—s. 62, ch. 90-306; s. 4, ch. 2000-188; s. 31, ch. 2003-58; s. 21, ch. 2012-81; s. 22, ch. 2012-116.
Structure Florida Statutes
Title VI - Civil Practice and Procedure
63.039 - Duty of Adoption Entity to Prospective Adoptive Parents; Sanctions.
63.042 - Who May Be Adopted; Who May Adopt.
63.0422 - Prohibited Conditions on Adoptions; Firearms and Ammunition.
63.0423 - Procedures With Respect to Surrendered Infants.
63.0425 - Grandparent’s Right to Notice.
63.043 - Mandatory Screening or Testing for Sickle-Cell Trait Prohibited.
63.052 - Guardians Designated; Proof of Commitment.
63.053 - Rights and Responsibilities of an Unmarried Biological Father; Legislative Findings.
63.0541 - Public Records Exemption for the Florida Putative Father Registry.
63.062 - Persons Required to Consent to Adoption; Affidavit of Nonpaternity; Waiver of Venue.
63.064 - Persons Whose Consent to an Adoption May Be Waived.
63.085 - Disclosure by Adoption Entity.
63.087 - Proceeding to Terminate Parental Rights Pending Adoption; General Provisions.
63.093 - Adoption of Children From the Child Welfare System.
63.112 - Petition for Adoption; Description; Report or Recommendation, Exceptions; Mailing.
63.122 - Notice of Hearing on Petition.
63.125 - Final Home Investigation.
63.132 - Affidavit of Expenses and Receipts.
63.135 - Information to Be Submitted to the Court.
63.142 - Hearing; Judgment of Adoption.
63.152 - Application for New Birth Record.
63.162 - Hearings and Records in Adoption Proceedings; Confidential Nature.
63.165 - State Registry of Adoption Information; Duty to Inform and Explain.
63.167 - State Adoption Information Center.
63.172 - Effect of Judgment of Adoption.
63.192 - Recognition of Foreign Judgment or Decree Affecting Adoption.
63.202 - Authority to License; Adoption of Rules.
63.207 - Out-of-State Placement.
63.212 - Prohibited Acts; Penalties for Violation.
63.213 - Preplanned Adoption Agreement.
63.222 - Effect on Prior Adoption Proceedings.
63.232 - Duty of Person Adopting.
63.2325 - Conditions for Invalidation of a Consent to Adoption or Affidavit of Nonpaternity.
63.233 - Rulemaking Authority.
63.235 - Petitions Filed Before Effective Date; Governing Law.
63.236 - Petitions Filed Before July 1, 2008; Governing Law.