The Joint Subcommittee on the Placement of Children for Adoption was authorized to conduct its study by Senate Joint Resolution No. 152 agreed to by the House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia· during the 1977 Session.

Pursuant to the direction of the General Assembly to conduct a study of the placement of children for adoption, Senator Lawrence Douglas Wilder, Chairman of the: Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services, and Delegate ,Donald G. Pendleton, Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions appointed the following senators and delegates to serve on a joint subcommittee: Senator Joseph V. Gartlan, Jr. of Alexandria; Senator A. Joe Canada, Jr. of Virginia Beach; Delegate Richard W. Elliott of Rustburg; Delegate Lewis P. Fickett, Jr. of Fredericksburg; Delegate Evelyn M.· Hailey of Norfolk; Delegate William P. Robinson, Sr. of Norfolk; Delegate Eleanor P. Sheppard of Richmond; Delegate Frank M. Slayton of South Boston; Senator Russell I. Townsend, Jr. of Chesapeake and Senator Charles L. Waddell of Sterling. Senator Gartlan was selected to serve as chairman and Delegate Robinson as vice chairman.

During the 1977 Session of the General Assembly several bills were considered which would have authorized physicians and lawyers to participate in the placement of children for adoption without being licensed as child-placing agencies by the Department of Welfare as is currently required by Virginia law. Because of the importance of this issue and the lack of adequate time during the General Assembly Session to explore the ramifications of such a change in the law, this study was commissioned.