Section 29-8304. ACTION TAKEN BY CFSA UPON NOTIFCATION OF A SURRENDERED SAFE HAVEN NEWBORN

 

8304.1Upon CFSA’s receipt of the authorized receiving facility report, CFSA shall accept immediate care, custody, and control of the surrendered newborn from the authorized receiving facility, or the hospital where the newborn was transferred by the authorized receiving facility, as soon as possible, but no later than twenty-three (23) hours after the surrender. 

 

8304.2CFSA shall transport the surrendered newborn from the hospital to CFSA.

 

8304.3 CFSA shall place the surrendered newborn in a pre-adoptive home that is the first and best placement. 

 

8304.4Within ninety (90) days after surrender, CFSA shall attempt to identify, locate, and notify the non-surrendering parent by:

 

(a)Requesting that the Metropolitan Police Department conduct a missing child search; and

 

(b)Publishing a notice of surrender in at least one (1) newspaper that serves the District of Columbia metropolitan area at least once a week for three (3) successive weeks.

 

8304.5The notices of surrender shall be published no earlier than thirty (30) days after surrender but no later than ninety (90) days after surrender. 

 

8304.6The notices of surrender shall include:

 

(a) The place, date, and time of the surrender;

 

(b) The sex, race, approximate age, and any identifying marks of the surrendered newborn;

 

(c) Any other identifying information that CFSA has about the newborn and any additional information that CFSA considers necessary or useful; and

 

(d) A statement that the non-surrendering parent’s failure to notify CFSA, or other contact person set forth in the notice, of his or her intent to exercise his or her parental rights and responsibilities within twenty (20) days after publication of the notice shall be deemed to be the non-surrendering parent’s irrevocable consent to the termination of all parental rights and his or her irrevocable waiver of any right to  notice of, or opportunity to participate in, any termination of parental rights proceedings involving the surrendered newborn.

 

authority

The Interim Director of the Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA), pursuant to section 108 of the Newborn Safe Haven Amendment Act of 2010 (Act), effective May 27, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-158; D.C. Official Code § 4-1451.01, et seq. (2011 Supp.)).

source

Notice of Emergency and Proposed Rulemaking published at 56 DCR 8599 (October 30, 2009)[EXPIRED]; as amended by Notice of Emergency and Proposed Rulemaking published at 57 DCR 5967 (July 9, 2010)[EXPIRED]; as amended by Notice of Emergency and Proposed Rulemaking published at 57 DCR 11742 (December 10, 2010)[EXPIRED]; as amended by Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 58 DCR 8052, 8055 (September 16, 2011).