Committee holds public comment on 'adoption tourism' after agencies and birth mothers dispute media reports

After members asked for more public input on adoption-related media reports, the Judiciary Interim Committee added a public hearing on "adoption tourism" and received testimony from licensed adoption agencies, birth mothers and an adoption attorney representing out-of-state clients.

Agency representatives said Utah adoption agencies follow state licensing rules, use an adoption-orientation form that lists rights and responsibilities for birth parents, document and report permissible adoption-related expenses, and do not require birth mothers to repay living expenses should they change their mind before relinquishment. Donna Pope of Heart to Heart Adoptions said the orientation form covers birth-parent rights including the right to take time before signing and the ability to change their mind prior to signing relinquishment.

Sandy Quick of Brighter Adoptions said her agency has been the subject of negative media reports and multiple investigations; she denied wrongdoing and said licensing, local law enforcement and federal authorities had reviewed specific allegations. Active Love Adoptions' Jamie Chidester said agencies document expenses and provide receipts; she said adoptive families typically fund support and agencies report expenditures to licensing authorities.

Birth-mother advocates and an out-of-state attorney described different incidents. Carrie Murray Nellis, an adoption attorney in Georgia, said she has encountered multiple clients who traveled to Utah and later said they felt pressured to place their children; she told the committee about mothers who later asked for help returning home and said some had been offered return travel by agencies when they wished to rescind. Theresa (representing Unplanned Good) and birth mother representatives emphasized stronger post-placement supports for birth parents and called for full disclosure of legal rights, counseling and post-placement care. One birth mother representative said the primary gap she sees is after placement: birth mothers need more post-placement emotional and community support.

Panels also addressed Medicaid and residency questions. Agency witnesses said they do not enroll nonresidents in Utah Medicaid; some hospital billing arrangements allow out-of-state Medicaid to be billed for hospital costs but agencies do not place clients on Utah Medicaid unless the person is a Utah resident. Agencies reported that roughly 20'30 percent of the birth parents their organizations assist relocate to accept placement-related support. Witnesses said agencies must document any adoption-related assistance and that licensing authorities review records.

Committee action: Representative Lisonbee moved to add a public hearing on adoption-tourism issues to the agenda; the motion passed. The committee closed the public hearing after hearing several witnesses and signaled interest in follow-up information from licensing authorities and agencies.

Committee note: testimony was mixed. Several licensed agency representatives emphasized statutory protections and oversight; other commenters urged further attention to post-placement care, transparency about expenses and safeguards to prevent coercion. The committee did not adopt statutory changes at the hearing; staff were asked to gather additional material and licensing records for further review.