West Virginia Code 49-7-203 – Interstate adoption assistance compact; contents of compact
A compact entered into pursuant to the authority conferred by sections two hundred one through two hundred four of this article shall have the following content:
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 49-7-203
- child: means an individual who meets one of the following conditions:
(A) Is under thirteen years of age. See West Virginia Code 49-1-202
- in writing: includes any representation of words, letters, or figures, whether by printing, engraving, writing, or otherwise. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
- State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
- state department: means the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. See West Virginia Code 49-1-208
(1) A provision making it available to joinder by all states.
(2) A provision or provisions for withdrawal from the compact upon written notice to the parties, but with a period of one year between the date of the notice and the effective date of the withdrawal.
(3) A requirement that the protections afforded by or pursuant to the compact continue in force for the duration of the adoption assistance and be applicable to all children and their adoptive parents who on the effective date of the withdrawal are receiving adoption assistance from a party state other than the one in which they are resident and have their principal place of abode.
(4) A requirement that each instance of adoption assistance to which the compact applies be covered by an adoption assistance agreement in writing between the adoptive parents and the state department which undertakes to provide the adoption assistance, and further, that the agreement be expressly for the benefit of the adopted child and enforceable by the adoptive parents, and the state agency providing the adoption assistance.
(5) Other provisions as may be appropriate to implement the proper administration of the compact.