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The Tennessee Conservative [By Kelly M. Jackson] –
Next week, a bill that passed this last general session will take effect and in doing so will assist in expediting certain types of adoptions occurring under specific circumstances.
HB0164/SB0534 which takes effect on July 1st states: “As enacted, authorizes a court to waive certain waiting periods and expedite certain proceedings relative to the adoption of children abandoned or voluntarily left at a facility or in a newborn safety device if certain conditions are met. – Amends TCA Title 36, Chapter 1; Title 37, Chapter 5 and Title 68, Chapter 11.”
According to reports, the goal of the law is to remove barriers that keep families from finalizing adoptions of children who entered the system from a surrender through a baby box, or a safe haven.
The same report indicates that at this time, there are about 8,000 children in Tennessee’s foster care system. To qualify under the bill, a child must be placed at a home and stay for at least 3 months. The new law is expected to impact 10 children per year.
“The amount of children that this would affect in foster care is going to be fairly small,” Lindsay Coleman, executive director of DCS, said. “But for those children, it will have an effect of being able to proceed with an adoption much more quickly than we would have been able to otherwise.”
Other pieces of legislation have been written to shorten the amount of time the process will take at the discretion of the judge.
DCS conveyed that their greatest need that remains is the need for foster parents. DCS also said they are available to help anyone who is interested in being a foster parent with training and resources.
If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, here is a link where you can start gathering information.
About the Author: Kelly Jackson is a recent escapee from corporate America, and a California refugee to Tennessee. Christ follower, Wife and Mom of three amazing teenagers. She has a BA in Comm from Point Loma Nazarene University, and has a background in law enforcement and human resources. Since the summer of 2020, she has spent any and all free time in the trenches with local grassroots orgs, including Mom’s for Liberty Williamson County and Tennessee Stands as a core member. Outspoken advocate for parents rights, medical freedom, and individual liberty. Kelly can be reached at kelly@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
