NAC127.315. Standards for setting fees.

     1. Any fees charged by an agency which provides child welfare services for the placement or for arranging the placement of a child for adoption must be imposed pursuant to a sliding schedule of fees established pursuant to NRS 127.275 that:

     (a) Sets forth a minimum and maximum fee; and

     (b) Provides for a gradual reduction in the fee based on the financial resources of adoptive parents.

     2. An agency which provides child welfare services may waive any part or all of its fees in appropriate cases.

     3. An agency which provides child welfare services shall not accept any compensation for the placement or for arranging the placement of a child for adoption in excess of its expenses for those services. When setting a maximum fee for an agency which provides child welfare services, the Division or the board of county commissioners, as appropriate, may consider the following expenses:

     (a) Investigation of prospective adoptive homes.

     (b) Medical care of biological mothers of children to be placed for adoption.

     (c) Financial support of biological mothers before, and for a reasonable time after, the birth of children to be placed for adoption.

     (d) Medical and other care of children awaiting adoption.

     (e) Legal services relating to the termination of parental rights regarding children awaiting adoption.

     (f) Counseling of biological parents, adoptive parents and children awaiting adoption.

     (g) Administrative costs associated with the expenses set forth in paragraphs (a) to (f), inclusive.

     (h) Any other relevant expenses.

     4. An agency which provides child welfare services in a county whose population is less than 100,000 may increase the maximum fee it sets for its expenses as set forth in subsection 3 if the agency submits additional information that the Division deems sufficient to justify the increase.

     5. An agency which provides child welfare services in a county whose population is 100,000 or more may raise the maximum fee it sets for its expenses as set forth in subsection 3 if the agency submits additional information to the board of county commissioners in the county in which the agency is located that the board deems sufficient to justify the increase.

     (Added to NAC by Div. of Child & Fam. Services by R056-02, eff. 7-30-2002)