Section 21-102. Powers of commissioner as to destitute children

The
  commissioner shall have  power  to  commit,  place  out,  discharge,  or
  transfer  any  child  who  may be in his or her custody, or who may have
  been placed by him or her in an institution as a public charge, whenever
  in his or her judgment it shall be for the best interests of such  child
  so  to do. In placing out such children, the commissioner may assign one
  or more of his or her subordinates to make the necessary investigations.
  He or she may employ any duly  incorporated  charitable  institution  or
  society  and may reimburse such institution or society for any expenses,
  other than salaries, actually incurred in the placing out,  supervision,
  and  transfer,  if  necessary,  of  children  who are public charges. An
  institution to which a child has been  committed,  as  in  this  section
  provided,  shall  have the authority to place such child in a family, or
  consent to his or her adoption.