Mississippi Code 1972 (2024)
Title 43 - PUBLIC WELFARE (§§ 43-1-1 — 43-63-7)
Chapter 15 - CHILD WELFARE (§§ 43-15-1 — 43-15-401)
Article 1 - ADMINISTRATION OF CHILD WELFARE (§§ 43-15-1 — 43-15-25)
Section 43-15-23 - "Placing Out"; defined

• (1) As used in this section the term "placing out" means to arrange for the free care of a child in a family, other than that of the child's parent, stepparent, grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt or legal guardian, for the purpose of adoption or for the purpose of providing care.

• (2) No person, agency, association, corporation, institution, society or other organization, except a child placement agency licensed by the Department of Child Protection Services under Section 43-15-5, shall request, receive or accept any compensation or thing of value, directly or indirectly, for placing out of a child.

• (3) No person shall pay or give any compensation or thing of value, directly or indirectly, for placing out of a child to any person, agency, association, corporation, institution, society or other organization except a child placement agency licensed by the Department of Child Protection Services.

• (4) The provisions of this section shall not be construed to (a) prevent the payment of salaries or other compensation by a child placement agency licensed by the Department of Child Protection Services to the officers or employees thereof; (b) prevent the payment of legal fees, which have been approved by the chancery court, to an attorney for services performed in regard to adoption proceedings; (c) prevent the payment of reasonable and actual medical fees or hospital charges for services rendered in connection with the birth or medical treatment of such child to the physician or hospital which rendered the services; or (d) prevent the receipt of such payments by such attorney, physician or hospital.

• (5) Any person, agency, association, corporation, institution, society or other organization violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of illegal placement of children and shall be punished by a fine not to exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) or by imprisonment not more than five (5) years, or both such fine and imprisonment.

Laws, 1986, ch. 456, eff. 7/1/1986.

Amended by Laws, 2023, ch. 516, HB 1149,§ 41, eff. 7/1/2023.