A bill to amend the act of March 16, 1926 (relating to the Board of Public Welfare in the District of Columbia), to provide for an improved system of adoption of children in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

[AI summary unavailable — showing source text] Authorizes the Commissioner of the District of Columbia to: (1) make temporary provision for the care of children pending investigation of their status; (2) to have the care and legal guardianship, including the power to consent to or arrange for adoption in appropriate cases, of children who may be committed to the Commissioner as wards of the District by courts of competent jurisdiction, and children who are relinguished by their parents to the Commissioner or whose relinquishment is transferred to the Commissioner by a licensed child-placing agency; (3) to make such provision for the care and maintenance of such children in private homes, under contract including adoption subsidy, or in public or private institutions, as the welfare of such children may require; and (4) to provide care and maintenance for feebleminded substantially retarded children who may be received upon application or upon court committment, in institutions or homes or other facilities equipped to receive them, within or without the District of Columbia. Provides that any person, public agency or licensed child-placing agency having a child with special needs in foster care or institutional care may recommen…