Until recently, adoptees from the state of Washington had access to their original birth certificates after the age of 18 only if they were adopted after 1993. Washington’s new law has made it easier for adoptees to find their birth parents, no longer restricting the adoption date. With the new law in effect, birth parents may now submit a contact preference form, and if they wish to remain anonymous may also fill out a medical history to be made available to the child they placed for adoption.
The state of Washington has already been inundated with requests and has facilitated several reunifications. It is expected that requests will increase exponentially.
In the hopes of reunification for birth parents and adoptees who wish to be found, The American Adoption Congress (AAC) continues to work toward unrestricted access for all adult adoptees.
