FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE (April 1, 2022 – Hagåtña) –Bill No. 41-36 (COR) introduced by Speaker Therese M. Terlaje, “AN ACT TO AMEND §4210 OF CHAPTER 4, TITLE 19, GUAM CODE ANNOTATED, RELATIVE TO EXPEDITING SOCIAL STUDIES FOR ADOPTIONS,” received majority support from senators on the session floor today.

Bill 41-36 allows the DPHSS Division of Children’s Wellness to hasten its home studies prior to adoptions by authorizing and expanding access to experienced and qualified personnel from other divisions, retirees or private contractors to assist with conducting adoption home studies. 

Currently, Guam law requires adoption home studies to be conducted prior to court granting of an adoption. Speaker Terlaje stated, “This Bill allows home studies to be done quicker through the use of additional personnel, retirees or private contractors. The bill also allows home studies to be done earlier in the process, even prior to the filing of a petition for adoption in court. Bill 41 ultimately ensures safe and expeditious placement of children with adoptive families.”

“I want to acknowledge the Division’s efforts to ensure our children are being placed into proper homes despite being faced with staffing shortages and overwhelming caseloads. This measure provides a mechanism for the Division to obtain assistance when a critical need arises and so that there’s no repeat of backlogs and request for extensions which keep our children waiting to be placed into safe homes,” stated Terlaje.