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*** READ FOR YOUR PROTECTION ***
If you are searching for a family member separated from you by relinquishment and adoption be sure and include this information in the subject line of your posting AND in your message:
…gender of adoptee
…date of birth of adoptee
…city and state of birth of adoptee
It’s best not to include additional facts from your non-id information. If there is a match based on the above information you want to be able to confirm additional information with the person who has contacted you but does not have the right information unless it is an actual match. This helps to keep a distance between you and scammers who might possibly claim to be your relative or claim to have found your relative based on information that you posted.
To avoid scammers contacting you on ANY of the adoption search related websites on the internet:
It is best if you DO NOT POST YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS in the body of the message. Also, set the options in your profile to only accept a Private Message so that the person contacting you must go through the forum board to contact you without obtaining your email address. A genuine volunteer will post information to the public message board. If you need help changing the options in your profile contact me and I will assist you.
If you are helping other people search it is wise to never post addresses and phone numbers, social security numbers or driver’s license information of possible relatives. Posting this type of information involves invasive privacy issues and angers the person whose information is being posted without their authorization.
If you contact a search firm to do your search or if a search firm contacts you wanting to charge a search fee there are several very important considerations to request when hiring a search firm:
…a reputable search firm should ALWAYS offer you a contact which you and the firm BOTH sign guaranteeing that you do not pay for a search that does not locate a member of your biological family. If any partial payment as a deposit is requested to begin the search, it must be returned upon demand if you decide that the search is not progressing within a reasonable time period (3-6 months). Do not pay for the search in full before the search starts.
…make sure that the firm’s definition of “find” is not a LIST of people with a similar name and/or comparable age. The only true find is YOUR biological relative …not similar people that you probably are not even related to.
…ask for references and actually contact them!
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WELCOME TO THE SEARCH AND REUNION MESSAGE BOARD!
If you know what adoption agency handled your adoption contact them for information from your adoption file that will help you with your search. If you were a private adoption or do not know the name of the adoption agency contact this office:
Oregon Department of Human Services
500 Summer Street, N.E.
Salem, OR 97301-1068
(503) 945-5677
Fax: (503) 945-6969
World Wide Web: [url]http://www.scf.hr.state.or.us/adoption/index.htm[/url]
E-mail: kathy.ledesma@state.or.us
INFORMATION THAT IS AVAILABLE IN YOUR STATE:
[url]http://www.calib.com/naic/pubs/as_or.cfm[/url]
Original Birth CertificateӔ available to Oregon adoptees. Contact:
State of Oregon
Health Division
POB 14050
Portland, OR 97293
Phone: 503-731-4108
Phone: 503-731-4000
Fax: 503-731-4084
Non-identifying informationӔ is information from your adoption file about your birth parents. It generally includes ages, marital status, states of birth, education, religion, occupations and a physical description of your birth parents. It should also include the reason for relinquishment and may include information about your aunts, uncles and grandparents. It is called non-identifying informationӔ because it does not include any identifying information such as names, addresses or social security numbers. If you already have your non-identifying information but it is information given to your adoptive parents at the time of your adoption you should re-apply for the non-identifying information. Agencies are giving out much more comprehensive information now that they did in the past. Contact this office:
State of Oregon
530 Center St NE, Suite 300
Salem, OR 97310
Phone: 503-373-1283
Mutual Consent RegistryӔ is a registry where adoptees and birth parents can register the adoption information. If both parties register normally the agency responsible for the registry will notify both parties that consent has been given to contact each other.
Oregon's Voluntary Adoption Registry
Oregon State Office for Services to Children and Families
HRB 2nd Floor South, 500 Summer Street NE
Salem, OR 97310-1017
(503) 945-6643
World Wide Web: [url]http://www.scf.hr.state.or.us/ar/index.htm[/url]
E-mail: janice.pitts@state.or.us
Confidential Intermediary ProgramӔ is a service sponsored by the state of adoption that will search for and locate the birth family member that you are looking for. This program will make the first contact but if the person contacted declines contact the agency will not give you the information to contact them yourself. There is usually a fee associated with this service through the governing agency of adoptions for your state of adoption. Contact this office:
State of Oregon
530 Center St NE, Suite 300
Salem, OR 97310
Phone: 503-373-1283
NON-PROFIT VOLUNTEER SEARCH AND SUPPORT SERVICE:
Oregon Adoptee Rights website: [url]www.oara.org/[/url]
Colleen Buckner
The Search Guru
[url]http://www.adoptionforums.com[/url]
[url]http://www.adoptionchat.com[/url]
[url]http://www.adoptionlists.com[/url]
[url]http://www.adoption.com[/url]
[url]http://www.adopting.org[/url]
[url]http://www.adoptionregistry.com[/url]