We are considering adopting, currently living in California, and may
be moving soon to New Hampshire.

Is there any way that we can have our homestudy conducted while still
here in California and have it be valid for use n New Hampshire?

(My sense is that if there were an agency liscensed to do homestudies
in both states then the homestudy might be valid in either. I have
been unable to find such an agency. This may or may not be correct,
and it may or may not be a limiting factor.)

Many thanks in advance!

Hello cosmiccowboy,

As noted in the disclaimer below, answers and comments on Google
Answers are not intended to substitute for informed professional legal
advice.  If you need such advice, you should contact a attorney.  You
may also wish to contact New Hampshire government entities involved in
questions of home studies for adoptions:

"Welcome to the Foster Care & Adoption Programs" [Division for
Children, Youth & Families (DCYF)]
New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services
http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/DHHS/FCADOPTION/default.htm

"Contact the Foster Care & Adoption Programs at Brown Building" [DCYF]
New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services
http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/DHHS/FCADOPTION/CONTACT+INFO/default.htm

"Adoption in New Hampshire: A Reference Manual" (Jan. 2, 2005)
[discussing home study on pp. 21-22 and providing contact information
on p. 51]
New Hampshire Judicial Branch
http://www.courts.state.nh.us/probate/referencemanual.pdf

The reference manual, as noted, discusses home study at pages 21-22. 
It indicates that a home study is called an "assessment."  It also
refers to "assessments done out-of-state or in a foreign country," but
does not say if and under what circumstances they may be done. 
However, it also refers several times to RSA 170-B:18, which suggests
that this source is an important place to look.

According to the New Hampshire General Court (the state legislature),
the text of RSA 170-B:18 as of early January was:

"Title XII Public Safety and Welfare -- Chapter 170-B Adoption --
Section 170-B:18 Assessment" (RSA 170-B:18 effective January 1, 2005.)
State of New Hampshire Revised Statutes Online
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XII/170-B/170-B-18.htm

RSA 170-B:18, I, states in part that "before the petition is heard ...
an assessment shall be made by the department, or by a licensed
child-placing agency."  RSA 170-B:18, IV, provides:

"The department or a licensed child-placing agency making the required
assessment may request other departments or licensed child-placing
agencies within or outside this state to make the assessment or
designated portions thereof as may be appropriate.  Where such written
assessments are made, a written report shall be filed with the court;
provided, however, said report shall not violate RSA 170-A, the
interstate compact on the placement of children."

So it appears that you would need to contact the department or a
licensed child-placing agency within New Hampshire to ask it to
request a department or licensed child-placing agency in California to
make the assessment.  I also presume that you need to file the
petition first, so that the assessment can be made "before the
petition is heard."  In any event, you can check into that issue if
you contact the department or licensed child-placing agency (or an
attorney).

My impression is that RSA 170-A, the interstate compact on the
placement of children, doesn't apply to your situation.  But again, I
cannot provide legal advice; so it is better that I give you a link to
the text as given by the New Hampshire General Court.

"Chapter 170-A: Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children"
State of New Hampshire Revised Statutes Online
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/indexes/170-A.html

You might also be interested in the other statutes in the chapter on
adoption, and in the probate court's adoption forms:

"Chapter 170-B: Adoption"
State of New Hampshire Revised Statutes Online
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/indexes/170-B.html

"Probate Court: Adoption Forms"
New Hampshire Judicial Branch
http://www.courts.state.nh.us/probate/pcforms/forms.htm

- justaskscott


Search strategy --

Searched on Google for following terms individually and in various combinations:

adoption
homestudy
"home study"
site:nh.gov
site:nh.us
site:courts.state.nh.us
assessment
"another state"
"other state"
probate
dhhs

Your question is confusing. I assume you are asking about
homeschooling. Do you have current children? I think you plan on
adopting a child in CA and then moving it out of the jurisdiction of
liberal CA into somewhat-less-liberal NH.

I have a cousin who homeschools her children (she's very born-again),
and also does Dalmation rescues (she's into dogs as well as Jesus).
Her homeschooling technique is one of networking. Her children do get
socialized with others of their cohort (this is the main objection to
home-schooling), but not too many of them. My first cousins once
removed are being raised with blinkers, but they are sweet,
well-raised kids.

The one who delivers the Answer will give you lots of homeschooling
links, particularly of the legal variety. Homeschooling is barely
constitutional (consider what the rest of us do with the children of
Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Scientists).

waukon,

Homestudy (or home study) has nothing to do with homeschooling. It is
an evaluation of the suitability of a prospective adoptive home, as
described here:

http://www.abcadoptions.com/Homestudy.htm

Thank you, pinkfreud. Homestudies vs. homeschooling; we have learned
something, but I think both of us want stronger words to describe
these things.

For International Adoption, yes.

For Domestic Adoption, maybe.  You have to check with the relevant
state agency in NH about the specific Homestudy you got from a
specific provider.

TO: alex101-ga

You stated: "For International Adoption, yes."

Yes to what?

Yes, we can do a homestudy in CA and it will still be valid in NH?
Yes, there is an agency that will perform a homestudy in CA that is
also valid in NH? (If so, what is the name of the agency?)

thanks!