§ 48-1-109. Which agencies may prepare assessments and reports to the court. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 48‑1‑109.  Whichagencies may prepare assessments and reports to the court.

(a)        Except asauthorized in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, only a county departmentof social services in this State or an agency licensed by the Department mayprepare preplacement assessments pursuant to Article 3 of this Chapter orreports to the court pursuant to Article 2 of this Chapter.

(b)        A preplacementassessment prepared in another state may be used in this State only if:

(1)        The prospectiveadoptive parent resided in the state where it was prepared; and

(2)        The person or entitythat prepared it was authorized by the law of that state to gather thenecessary information.

An assessment prepared in anotherstate that does not meet the requirements of this section and G.S. 48‑3‑303(c)through (h) must be updated by a county department of social services in thisState, an agency licensed by the Department, or a person or entity authorizedto gather the necessary information pursuant to the laws of the state where theprospective adoptive parent resides before being used in this State.

(c)        An order for areport to the court must be sent to a county department of social services inthis State, an agency licensed by the Department, or a person or entityauthorized to prepare home assessments for the purpose of adoption proceedingsunder the laws of the petitioner's state of residence. If the petitioner movesto a different state before the agency completes the report, the agency shallrequest a report pursuant to the Interstate Compact on the Placement ofChildren under Article 38 of Chapter 7B of the General Statutes from a personor entity authorized to prepare home assessments for the purpose of adoptionproceedings under the laws of the petitioner's new state residence.  (1949, c. 300; 1961, c. 186;1969, c. 982; 1973, c. 476, s. 138; 1983, c. 454, s. 5; 1991, c. 335, s. 2;1995, c. 457, s. 2; 1998‑202, s. 13(h); 2009‑185, s. 1.)