N.Y. Social Services Law § 372-e: Adoption applications; appeals

§ 372-e. Adoption applications; appeals. 1. An authorized agency shall

keep a record of applications received from persons seeking to become

adoptive parents, including all actions taken on such applications.

2. The department shall promulgate regulations setting forth

standards and procedures to be followed by authorized agencies in

evaluating persons who have applied to such agencies for the adoption of

a child. Such regulations shall also restrict the evaluation process so

as not to unnecessarily duplicate previous investigations which may have

been made of the adoptive applicant in the context of a prior adoption

application or an application for licensure or certification to board

children.

3. (a) Upon an authorized agency's denial of an application, the

authorized agency shall furnish the applicant with a written statement

setting forth its reason for the denial of the application. Such written

statement shall include a notice to the applicant, in bold face type, of

such applicant's right to request and be granted a hearing in accordance

with the provisions of subdivision four of this section.

(b) Upon an authorized agency's failure to act on an application

within six months of its submission, the authorized agency shall, on

such applicant's request, furnish the applicant with a written statement

setting forth its reason for its failure to act on the application. Such

written statement shall include a notice to the applicant, in bold face

type, of such applicant's right to request and be granted a hearing in

accordance with the provisions of subdivision four of this section.

4. Any person whose application has been denied or whose application

has not been acted upon by an authorized agency within six months of its

submission may request and shall be granted a hearing in accordance with

the provisions of section twenty-two of this chapter relating to fair

hearings.