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Hello, Just waned to know if anyone could help me with this. My journey has been really interesting to say the least. I was adopted at the age of 16 by a lady that adopted 7 other children as well. I was born in St Louis at Bootheel Hospital and at that time my birth mother stayed in a home for teenage pregnant mothers and I was left there for adoption. My 1st home, in Lilbourn Mo, I was there for 7 years which was handled by New Madrid County. After the mother passed, I was in a different foster home seem like every 11 months. From Lilbourn Mo, I was sent to the Douglas's in Charleston Mo, from there to East Prairie where I was placed with the Cutrights. Deep Down Country.....but, I learned a lot about hard work, about being poor and about living off of the land. Meaning, chickens everywhere, eggs, pigs, hogs, fishing, coal piles, hanging clothes outside, washing clothes by hand and the best of all, well water. That is the best water anyone could ever drink. Ok, now I came to Kansas City Mo when I was 13 years old. I was so excited, to see Blue Ridge Mall and the Royal Stadium at that time coming off of I-70. Country dont have lights like the city. I was with this foster family for awhile and then was sent to a Girls Home (yeah I was very rebellious). Evangelical Childrens Home, compared to all of the foster homes I have been in, my best memories were in the Girls home. Wow... From the Girls Home, I was placed with another family in Kansas City, Ks. Last place was with the family that adopted me in Kansas City Mo. Thru all of these homes I had a different name. Names in order: Alice Bishop Tracy Williams Tracy Johnson Angela Yamila Lewis Tracy Glin Now I am Tracy Harris by marriage... At this time, I am just wanting some opinions or suggestions on how I can start obtaining more information regarding my birth mom. My adopted Mom somehow had my birth certificate changed to match all of her information and I have tried to obtain my orig birth certificate and I cant. I have tried to obtain foster care records from Kansas City and New Madrid County and thats a big not. Its like I am stuck. Where I was born, has now burned down and all records have been moved to Chicago. The lady that I have been communicating with did state that I was the only black female baby born on that day, 10/28/1964. So if anyone has any suggestions or ideas or can assist me with this, please email me at somethinguniq@yahoo.com or reply to this thread. Thank You all and Good Luck for those who are searching for their biological family members.
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Mizztra, When you were adopted by law they changed/amended your birth certificate and sealed the file - not something your mom did. There is still an Original Birth Certificate (OBC) plus the newer Amended Birth Certificate. There are a few things you can do now and come Nov 15, 2011 you can obtain your OBC because Ill changed the law last year but the delay is to allow your birth mother or father to veto you access to the OBC. You can obtain your non-id now. You can sign up for the Mutual Adoption Registry which will provide your info to your birth mother or father, siblings, etc if they also register. You can petition the court to assign a confidential intermediary to search but you must sign up for the Registry and be willing to and proved a medical history to qualify. The link below shows you the laws and details related to this but do not show the updated adoption records info. Come Nov 15, 2011 you can go to Vital Records and request your OBC.[url=http://laws.adoption.com/statutes/illinois-laws.html]Illinois Adoption Laws[/url] You can also register your search in the Reunion Registry on this site. Go to the tab above listed as Reunite - select the Reunion Registry link. Good luck,Dickons
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Dickons
Mizztra, When you were adopted by law they changed/amended your birth certificate and sealed the file - not something your mom did. There is still an Original Birth Certificate (OBC) plus the newer Amended Birth Certificate. There are a few things you can do now and come Nov 15, 2011 you can obtain your OBC because Ill changed the law last year but the delay is to allow your birth mother or father to veto you access to the OBC. You can obtain your non-id now. You can sign up for the Mutual Adoption Registry which will provide your info to your birth mother or father, siblings, etc if they also register. You can petition the court to assign a confidential intermediary to search but you must sign up for the Registry and be willing to and proved a medical history to qualify. The link below shows you the laws and details related to this but do not show the updated adoption records info. Come Nov 15, 2011 you can go to Vital Records and request your OBC.[url=http://laws.adoption.com/statutes/illinois-laws.html]Illinois Adoption Laws[/url] You can also register your search in the Reunion Registry on this site. Go to the tab above listed as Reunite - select the Reunion Registry link. Good luck,Dickons
Mizztra, It only applies to Ill, each state has their own laws and adoptees have been fighting to change the laws in each state but it is an unhill battle. Kansas and Alaska never sealed records. Oregon opened records over 10 years ago, I think Maine just opened records and there are a few more. They are trying to get legislation passed in many others including NJ, Kentucky, Washington and have peaceful protests going on a regularly scheduled basis - google "adoptee rights" and you can find out more info. I would expect that Ill has a form they will give you - it is to share your medical history with your family of birth because it is relevant especially if you have siblings - if you write or call the people on the link I gave you you can find out what is needed. It would be a form asking about specifics like cancer, heart disease, etc not a request for all your medical files. Kind regards,Dickons
One more question and thank you for your patience. Is this Ill law based on what state you were born in or what state you were adopted in. Even though, I was born in St Louis, I was adopted in Kc Mo. The place I was born at, burned down in St Louis and all records were moved to Chicago. Would that make me not eligible? Thanks again
Unfortunately the state you were adopted in is the state that counts. I have always been bad with what states some of the abbreviations are for so assuming MO is Missouri which is an extremely ARCHAIC state. [url=http://laws.adoption.com/statutes/missouri-laws.html]Missouri Adoption Laws[/url] So, if either your mom or dad is still alive and you put in a request - your mom or dad or both MUST APPROVE you getting access to your records...Regardless if you are 18 or 68...you will ALWAYS be considered a child.The link provides the contact details etc. Perhaps you should start the drive in MO to change the laws - perhaps seeing how archaic they are you may have a better chance. Seriously why you would need your parents approval at your age is so incredibly outrageous as to be considered insane... Kind regards,Dickons
"An adult adoptee may make a written request for information identifying his or her birth parents. If the birth parents have consented to the release of identifying information, the court shall disclose the information. If the birth parents have not consented, the court shall notify in writing, within 10 days of receipt of the request, the adoptive parents and the child-placing agency or court personnel having access to the information. For adoptions completed prior to 8-13-1986, the adoptive parents must consent to contacting the birth parents unless there is proof that the adoptive parents are deceased or incapacitated. If the agency or court is unable to notify the birth parent within 3 months, the identifying information shall not be disclosed to the adult adoptee. If an affidavit executed by a birth parent authorizing the release of information is filed with the court, the court shall disclose the identifying information. An adult adoptee may request identifying information about an adult sibling when such information is necessary for urgent health-related purposes. Identifying information pertaining exclusively to the adult sibling shall be released only upon consent of that adult sibling. The department shall maintain a registry for birth parents, adult siblings, and adult adoptees to indicate their desire to be contacted by each other. At the time of registration, a birth parent or adult sibling may consent in writing to the release of identifying information to an adult adoptee. If such consent has not been executed and the division believes that a match has occurred, the division shall make confidential contact with the birth parents or adult siblings and with the adult adoptee. The birth parent, adult sibling, or adult adoptee may refuse to go forward with any further contact between the parties when contacted by the division."
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