Memorandum of Agreement Between the U.S. Department of State and the Council on Accreditation Regarding Performance of Duties as an Accrediting Entity Under the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000

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The Department of State (the Department) is the lead Federal agency for implementation of the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (the Convention) and the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (IAA). Among other things, the IAA gives the Secretary of State responsibility for the accreditation of agencies and approval of persons to provide adoption services under the Convention. The IAA requires the Department to enter into agreements with one or more qualified entities under which such entities will perform the tasks of accrediting agencies and approving persons, monitoring compliance of such agencies and persons with applicable requirements, and other related duties set forth in section 202(b) of the IAA. This notice is to inform the public that on July 12, 2006, the Department exercised its authority under the IAA and entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Council on Accreditation under which the Department designated the Council on Accreditation as an accrediting entity. In its role as an accrediting entity, the Council on Accreditation will be accrediting or approving qualified agencies and persons thro