Definitions

The terms used in this chapter have the same meaning as in North Dakota Century Code chapter 50-12. In addition, as used in this chapter: 1. "Adoption dissolution" means a termination of parental rights of an adoptive parent after finalization of the same adoption. 2. "Adoption placement" means the formal date on which a child, who is legally free for adoption, is placed for the purpose of adoption. 3. "Adoption placement disruption" means an interruption of an adoption after formal placement and prior to finalization in which the child is returned to foster care or placed with another family. 4. "Client" means a child, birth parent, foster care provider, adoptive parent, or adopted individual. 5. "Department" means the North Dakota department of health and human services. 6. "Foster care provider" means an individual living in a private dwelling who maintains a license, certification, or approval from the department to provide family foster care to children in need of temporary safety services when placed out of the home. 7. "Legal risk adoptive placement" means placement of a child with a prospective adoptive family when the child is not legally free for adoption. 8. "Life book" means a tool used with children in out-of-home care and children who have been adopted to record memories and life events. 9. "Nonemployee" means an individual who is not compensated by the child-placing agency, such as a volunteer or student intern providing specific services under the supervision of an employee. 10. "Permanent adoption record" means all paper or electronic records, and identifying and nonidentifying information related to an adopted individual, birth siblings, birth parents, or adoptive parents which pertains to an adoption. 11. "Resident child-placing agency" means a child-placing agency that maintains an office within this state.