CASH IN ON ADOPTEES

Back in 1976 when I began my own search, non-identifying information from Catholic Charities was free. In 1992 I became very curious as to if a medical problem was related to a growth that I was born with. I rechecked my non-id and confirmed that nothing was included regarding my health. Both my adoptive parents were deceased so I could not question them. So I contacted Catholic Charities and was told that there would be a $75 fee to give me the information. I was irate and quoted them the IL statute regarding medical records and said that I only needed to pay for the copying charges. The result was receiving an apologetic letter along with a copy of the records. But by 1992 searches had become more popular and agencies had started to cash in on adoptees' records being sealed.

But it is not just agencies doing this. Illinois has the ineffective Adoption Registry and Confidential Intermediary system. There are professional searchers and some are far from being professional. There are online databases preying upon the vulnerable. The list goes on.

So it does make one wonder why we still have closed records. To open them would put some people out of work. So those making money from closed records help to write bills to be sponsored that keep registries and CI systems intact. Others voice their opinion to keep records closed. Sorry about the long unemployment lines but a civil right needs to be restored to adult adoptees so they have access to their original birth certificate.

My dream for all adoptees

I am one of the more fortunate adoptees to have completed my search 11 1/2 years ago. I will always be greatful to my dear friend Anita Field who was invaluable help to me during the final days of my search.

My search took over 20 years and during that time my birth parents passed away. But I've been reunited with siblings and other relatives. Recently some of us got together. There were special moments to share and reminders of how much I am like some of my siblings. Striking family resemblance is being passed on down from one generation to another. Although 11 years have passed I still feel overwhelmed while I'm around birth relatives. I always hate to leave them. But I always come home feeling so blessed that I've been reunited. It does not seem right that so many others are still searching. Some have been rejected so missed out on the opportunity to be reunited with birth relatives. Others have given up searching because it seems impossible to complete their search.

I will always be a strong advocate for open records because I do want all adoptees to experience similar special moments with birth relatives like I have been blessed with. Open records would not change a birth relative choosing to reject someone. I can't help but think though that some birth mothers have filed with a state saying that they don't want contact when that might not have happened if they had been contacted by their son/daughter and heard their voice. Although I'm not as active as I once was with helping to reunite people I recall too well when some birth mothers did not think that they wanted contact and then changed their mind. But to open records is not just for search and reunion.

Open records would provide all adult adoptees the opportunity to request and receive their original birth certificate. That might not always lead to searching and being reunited. But for those not reunited they would know their identity and most of all they would be treated like first class citizens. They would have the same civil right as non-adoptees!