457

With respect to a child who has been adopted within this state but who has been removed from this state by his adoptive parents, or a child who has been adopted by residents of another state or of the commonwealth of Puerto Rico and who is, or who is likely to become, a public charge within this state, payments under section four hundred fifty-three or four hundred fifty-four of this title may be made pursuant to an agreement between the district and the adoptive parents, provided that such agreement is in accordance with the regulations of the department promulgated to achieve the objective of increasing the number of adoptions of potential public charges, with particular emphasis upon handicapped and hard to place children. Any such agreement shall become void at such time as it is determined by the social services official that a child on whose behalf payments are being received pursuant to such agreement was brought into this state for the sole purpose of qualifying prospective out-of-state adoptive parents for such payments. Such determination may be appealed to the department which, upon receipt of the appeal, shall conduct a fair

he sole purpose of qualifying prospective out-of-state adoptive parents for such payments. Such determination may be appealed to the department which, upon receipt of the appeal, shall conduct a fair hearing in accordance with the provisions of section four hundred fifty-five of this title.