CHAPTER 2. County Adoption Agencies [16100. - 16106.]

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC 2.

in effect

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 16100. Section 16100.

(a) Any county may perform the home-finding and placement functions, to investigate, examine, and make reports upon petitions for adoption filed in the superior court, to act as a placement agency in the placement of children for adoption, to accept relinquishments for adoption, and to perform such other functions in connection with adoption as the department deems necessary, or to do any of them. Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize a county adoption agency, as provided in subdivision (d), to provide intercountry adoption services. (b) Notwithstanding any other law, a county adoption agency performing the functions specified in subdivision (a) may contract for services described in subdivision (a) from any licensed private adoption agency that the private adoption agency is licensed to provide pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1500) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code. A licensed county adoption agency may also contract for services described in subdivision (a) from any out-of-state licensed public or private adoption agency that is licensed pursuant to the laws of that state. Any services contracted for shall substantially meet the standards and criteria established in California adoption regulations as determined by the licensed county adoption agency. These services shall be contracted for in order to facilitate adoptive placement of a specified category of children for whom the licensed county adoption agency has determined it cannot provide adequate services. (c) Counties that elect not to provide the adoption services specified in subdivision (a) may contract with the department or another county adoption agency to provide those services.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 16101. Section 16101.

(a) Prior to the 2011–12 fiscal year, the cost of administering the adoption programs undertaken by a county under license issued pursuant to Section 16100 of this code shall be borne by the state in the amount found necessary by the department for proper and efficient administration. The state shall reimburse the county for all such necessary administrative costs, after deducting therefrom the amount of fees collected by the county agency pursuant to Section 8716 of the Family Code. (b) Beginning in the 2011–12 fiscal year, and each fiscal year thereafter, funding and expenditures for programs and activities under the section for the purposes of administering the adoption programs shall be in accordance with the requirements provided in Sections 30025 and 30026.5 of the Government Code.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 16105. Section 16105.

If any grants-in-aid are made by the federal government for the cost of administering an adoption program, or for the cost of care of children relinquished for adoption, the amount of the federal grant shall be applied to defer the cost of administration or of care.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 16106. Section 16106.

The state shall reimburse each county for the cost of care of any child placed under the custody of a county department pursuant to Section 8805 or 8918 of the Family Code. County claims for reimbursement of expenses incurred pursuant to Section 8805 or 8918 of the Family Code shall be filed with the department at the time and in the manner specified by the department, and the claims shall be subject to audit by the department. Whenever a claim covering a prior fiscal year is found to have been in error, adjustment may be made on a current claim without the necessity of applying adjustment to the appropriation for the prior fiscal year.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026