Definitions

In this Act: (1) The term birth mother means a woman who places her baby with the adoptive parents and terminates parental rights. (2) The term care provider includes any health care personnel (including bedside staff) and ancillary staff who have contact in a hospital or birthing center with expectant mothers, birth mothers, and potential adoptive families. (3) The term child-placing agency means a business or service conducted, maintained, or operated by a person engaged in finding homes for newborn infants by placing, or arranging for the placement of, such newborn infants for adoption or foster care. (4) The term potential adoptive family means one or more individuals who are actively seeking to adopt a child. (5) The term Secretary means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.