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Hi everyone. I know this is long, but I REALLY hope all triad members in PA will read this. INCLUDING ADOPTIVE parents-- you'll see why later. OK.... In Pennsylvania, there is a medical history registry. It is a database maintained by PAE (the Pennsylvania Adoption Exchange). The purpose is to help adoptees gain access to their medical info. Before I go any further, I need to state that a PAE worker said so far, they've only had three actual matches. But three is still three success stories. And for us Pennsylvania birthmoms, we can help make that number larger. So here goes: This is how it works: If you are an adoptee (who was born in PA) who wants to know your medical info, you can get a form from PAE and register on the medical history registry. The form is free. You fill out the form. You then have to have the form notarized, or attach a copy of your valid driver's license. You send it in to PAE. PAE puts it in their registry. The registry then compares the info you supplied with info bparents have supplied. If things match up... PAE notifies you, and bingo! you can see what medical history your bmother or bfather put into the registry. Now, for bparents who birthed their children in PA... it works the same way. If you want your birthchild to have access to your medical history, you request a form from PAE, fill it out, get it notarized or include copy of driver's license, and send it in. The service is free to us bparents, too. I do not believe bparents are notified if a match is made, but I'm not sure... can look into that. I think this is a GREAT resource for anyone involved in a closed adoption in PA, and even though I have an open adoption, I am planning on registering myself and letting D and Y (Marie's aparents) know, so that if something ever happens to me and they need the info, they'll have it. Bparents can update their info at any time, and the updates are also free. Now, there are four points I want to stress: 1. This is all CONFIDENTIAL. Bparents who post their info WILL NOT have their identifying info shared with the adoptee. This is not a way to "meet" your birthchild (or your birthfamily, if you're an adoptee)... but it IS a way for adoptees to obtain the medical info they might need. 2. If you are an adoptee and you want to register, you must be at least 18 years old. If you are not 18 yet, you can still register, but you need your adoptive parents' permission. (Here is the reason I asked adoptive parents to read this: b/c if you have a child who was born in PA, the adoption is closed, and you'd like medical family history for your child, you can register for them if your child is under 18.) You also need to have been born in Pennsylvania (but you do not need to currently live in PA, and it doesn't matter if your adoption wasn't finalized in PA). 3. If you are a bparent, you can only fill the form out for yourself--not the other bparent. A bmom cannot fill out a form for a bfather, no matter how much info you might know about the bfather. He has to do it himself. 4. Participation in this registry is voluntary, for both adoptees and bparents. If you're an adoptee, there is a darn good chance your bparent didn't register. Many bparents, especially those who relinquished long ago, probably do not even know about the registry. So if you are an adoptee and you register, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE that you will get your medical history. With that being said... I do believe this is a great resource and one that I hope bparents will use. Your medical history is important to your bchild. This is a free service, and it is completely anonymous. There is no reason not to register. Here is the link to the PAE site: [URL=http://] [url]http://www.adoptpakids.org/[/url][/URL] And a link directly to the info about the registry (with contact info on how to request a form, so you can register): [URL=http://] [url]http://www.adoptpakids.org/[/url][/URL] I am STRONGLY URGING all bmoms who gave birth in Pennsylvania to register. This is such an easy way for you to provide medical information for your child. Again, your confidentiality will be maintained. Please, please consider doing this. And good luck! Nicole
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