---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 5114"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "5114"
heading: "Study and report of unlicensed or unregulated adoption placements"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/5114"
units:
  - "Chapter 67 — Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform"
  - "Subchapter II — Adoption Opportunities"
---

# §5114. Study and report of unlicensed or unregulated adoption placements

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall provide for a study (the results of which shall be reported to the appropriate committees of the Congress not later than eighteen months after June 25, 2003) designed to determine—
  - (1) the nature, scope, and effects of the interstate (and, to the extent feasible, intrastate) placement of children in adoptive homes (not including the homes of stepparents or relatives of the child in question) by persons or [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1).[^1]
  - (2) how interstate placements are being financed across [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) lines;
  - (3) recommendations on best practice models for both interstate and intrastate adoptions; and
  - (4) how [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) policies in defining special needs children differentiate or group similar categories of children.
- (b) **Dynamics of successful adoption—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall conduct research (directly or by grant to, or contract with, public or private [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) research [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) or organizations) about adoption outcomes and the factors affecting those outcomes. The [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall submit a report containing the results of such research to the appropriate committees of the Congress not later than the date that is 36 months after June 25, 2003.
- (c) **Interjurisdictional adoption—** Not later than 1 year after June 25, 2003, the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall submit to the appropriate committees of the Congress a report that contains recommendations for an action plan to facilitate the interjurisdictional adoption of foster children.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. The period probably should be a semicolon.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 95–266, title II, § 204, Apr. 24, 1978, 92 Stat. 210; Pub. L. 108–36, title II, §§ 203, 204, June 25, 2003, 117 Stat. 821.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2003—Pub. L. 108–36 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted subsec. heading and par. (1) designation, substituted “June 25, 2003” for “April 24, 1978” and “to determine—” for “to determine”, struck out “which are not licensed by or subject to regulation by any governmental entity” after “by persons or agencies”, and added pars. (2) to (4) and subsecs. (b) and (c).