H.R. 7236: In Good Standing Adoption Agencies Act of 2026

This bill, titled the In Good Standing Adoption Agencies Act of 2026, aims to establish a national registry of licensed private child placement agencies in the United States. The key components of the bill can be summarized as follows:

National List of Licensed Child Placement Agencies

The bill amends the Social Security Act to require:

• States to provide an annual list to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) containing the names of private child placement agencies that are licensed, in good standing, and exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3).
• The Secretary, through the United States Children’s Bureau, to compile and maintain a publicly accessible list that aggregates these state-submitted lists.
• The Secretary to issue annual reports to Congress, which will include the maintained list of agencies, identify any agencies that are licensed but not listed, and provide details on any disciplinary actions taken against these agencies by the states.

Compliance and Incentives

The bill introduces consequences for states that do not comply with the list submission requirement:

• It modifies existing provisions for adoption and legal guardianship incentive payments. States must now confirm compliance with the new listing requirement to remain eligible for these incentive payments.

The intent of the bill is to create a more transparent system that allows potential adoptive parents to easily find accredited agencies and to hold states accountable for their oversight of these agencies. By maintaining a national list, the bill aims to improve the quality of child placement services throughout the country.

Additional Provisions

The bill will become effective once enacted and will impose new reporting requirements on states regarding their private adoption agencies. Annual compliance with these requirements will be crucial for states to continue receiving certain federal adoption incentives.

Relevant Companies

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