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I found a loophole around Missouri sealed records! It applies to those in my case, but may apply in other states as well.
Though I was born in Missouri and adopted from there, my adoptive parents were not Missouri residents; not uncommon, because Missouri was a hub for pregnant girls, with the Willows, Crittendon, St. Anthony's and several other maternity homes for unwed mothers. I can only get redacted non-ID information from Jackson County Court or Catholic Charities - or so I thought.
Turns out there is way around it for interstate adoptions. Apparently when a child is adopted across a state line (at least into Kansas) the state where the parents reside has to be involved; in my case the county welfare system had to do the home visits, inspections, etc as well as keep paperwork from the case.
I contacted Marilyn Waugh at Social and Rehabilitative Services in Topeka, Kansas and asked her to search for me. I was fortunate I had found my birth name on my parents' copy of my adoption decree, so I had her check under Robert McCullough.
Bingo! Marilyn had me fill out an official request for their files, and three days later I received 17 pages printed from the microfilm records. On the cover was my parents' full names, inside was my complete NON-redacted social history, as well as copies of correspondence between Catholic Services, Kansas SRS, the county welfare director (whom I knew - had no idea she knew my entire background!), reports from before I was born when my parents applied for an adoption, the notification that there was a possible match - the whole works.
This definitely helps Kansas adoptees, no matter what state you were adopted from, and may offer an alternate route for other interstate adoptions. The Interstate Child Placement Compact went into effect in the 1970s, so any adoptee born after that may have this available.
And yes, it's amazing to see yourself described on official letterhead. Amost as good as an original birth certificate (yet another battle...)
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