ENCLOSURE (1) TO COMDTINST 1754.9A
DEFINITIONS
1.
Adoption. The legal procedure by which a person or couple takes a child that is not their
biological offspring into the family and raises the child as their own. Adoption severs all legal
ties between the adoptee and his or her birth parents and establishes such ties between the
adoptee and the adoptive parents. Legally, the adoptee has the same status with respect to his
or her adoptive parents as do any biological siblings.
2.
Intercountry adoptions. The legal adoption of a child coming form a country other than the U.
S. and its territories.
3.
Qualifying Adoption Expenses.
a.
Reasonable and necessary expenses directly related to the legal adoption of a child, but
only if such adoption is arranged by one of the following procedures:
(1)
By a State or local government that has responsibility under State or local law
for child placement through adoption; or
(2)
By a nonprofit, voluntary adoption agency authorized by State or local law to
place children for adoption.
b.
Does not include any expenses incurred for the following: (1) Any travel performed by
an adopting parent.
4.
Any adoption arranged in violation of Federal, State or local law.
a.
Reasonable and Necessary Expenses. This term means: a. Public and private agency
fees.
b.
Placement fees, including fees charged adoptive parents for counseling.
c.
Legal fees, including court costs, in connection with services that are unavailable to a
member of the Coast Guard through a legal assistance office as provided under 10 USC
Section 1044 or Section 1044a.
d.
Medical expenses, including hospital expenses of the biological mother of the child to
be adopted and of a newborn infant to be adopted, for medical care given to the adopted
child before the adoption, and for physical examinations for the adopting parents.