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Adoption Search, Contact and Reunion 
  1. What adoption records are available in Maryland?
  2. What information will be available?
  3. How is non-identifying or medical information obtained?
  4. What options are available for those who want to search when an adoption was finalized in Maryland?
  5. Requirements
  6. What does it cost and what options are available for those who want to search when an adoption was finalized in Maryland?
  7. Stages of The Reunion
  8. Mutual Consent Registry and Adoption Search Services Address


What adoption records are available in Maryland?

There are three different methods of finalizing an adoption in the State of Maryland. An adoption can be finalized by:
  1. Departments of Social Services (public),
  2. Licensed Child Placement Agencies (private), and
  3. Independent (private)
Regardless of the type of adoption, when an adoption is finalized, the child's original birth certificate and all legal documents pertaining to the adoption are "impounded". The Court where the adoption was finalized holds all the legal documents. The Bureau of Vital Statistics holds the original birth certificate. The court record does not usually contain any social or medical information about the child or the birth family and rarely, if ever, includes a copy of the original birth certificate.

The Department of Human Resources is authorized to facilitate public adoptions at local departments of social services offices and licensed child placement agencies throughout the State. These agencies must maintain copies of the adoption records. Due to space limitations, most local departments and licensed child placement agencies opt to store copies of older cases at the Maryland State Archives.

Independent or private adoptions are handled through physicians, private agencies, relatives, attorneys or other individuals connected in some way to the birth or adoptive family. In order to protect client confidentiality, attorneys often destroy adoption records when they retire or leave their practice. When a private agency closes, adoption records may be forward to Maryland State Archives, or destroyed. When this occurs, it could mean that the information needed to reconstruct the case may not be available.

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What information will be available?

It is currently, as it was historically, was a standard practice to gather a variety of information relevant to the placement of a child in an adoptive home. However, since legal mandates and political, economic, religious and social values always directly or indirectly influence standard business practices, the information that was collected varies significantly.

Details could include: social and medical background on the birth family; facts regarding the birth mother's pregnancy or the child's birth; the circumstances which led to the placement, and information about the adopting family. Copies of legal documents may also be included. In some instances, the files may contain correspondence received after the adoption from the birth family, the adoptive parents or the adoptee.

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How is non-identifying or medical information obtained?
  1. If a Maryland Department of Social Services was involved in the adoption, post-adoption services are available to members of the adoption triad: adoptees, adoptive parents and birth family members. Any triad member may seek non-identifying medical and social background information from the local department. This is usually defined as descriptive information, such as: physical characteristics, education, health, nationality, etc., from their case files. This service is available to those involved in an adoption in which the child was in the custody of the local department. This information can be obtained for a nominal fee.

  2. If a Maryland licensed child placement agency was involved in the adoption, the triad members may request non-identifying medical and social background information. This is usually defined as descriptive information, such as: physical characteristics, education, health, nationality, etc., from their case files. This service is available to those involved in an adoption in which the child was adopted through a licensed child placement agency. This information can be obtained for a nominal fee.

  3. If a closed private or public adoption agency was involved in the adoption, the triad members may request non-identifying medical and social background information from the Department as directed at the end of this website.

  4. If you do not know the source of the adoption, contact the Department as directed at the end of this website.
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What options are available for those who want to search when an adoption was finalized in Maryland?

  1. The State maintains a Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry. The Registry is a confidential cross-reference file of adult adoptees, birth parents, siblings and other birth relatives. Individuals provide identifying information and authorize its release to birth parents and/or birth siblings.

    A computer searches the registry for individuals whose information matches. If a match occurs, the identities of the parties are confirmed through the agency that was involved in the adoption finalization. Once confirmed, the information is released to the interested parties. There is a $25.00 fee.

  2. On October 1, 1999, Adoption services were expanded to provide Adoption Search, Contact and Reunion Services to adult adoptees and birth parents. Individuals may authorize the Department of Human Resources to initiate a search for birth parents or adult children they placed for adoption. There is an additional administrative fee of $20.00 and an additional search fee for this service. A referral will be made to a Confidential Intermediary who is responsible for entering a service agreement with you and attempting to locate the individual being sought. The process may include:
    1. attempting to obtain the case record;
    2. continuing to search until basic search protocols have been completed and all reasonable leads have been exhausted;
    3. initiating contact if the search is successful;
    4. facilitating the contact or/and reunion if the parties are interested;
    5. providing brief counseling.
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Requirements

  1. All applicants are required to complete a Consent to Release Information form specifying the services requested. This form is to be notarized.

    The applicant will also be required to provide proof of identity, and asked to complete a statistical background information sheet, an Updated Non-identifying Medical/Family Background Heritage Information form and a Non-identifying Letter of Introduction.

  2. If one or both parties being sought are found, their identities will be confirmed through the agency that was involved in the adoption finalization. Once confirmed, the Confidential Intermediary will contact the parties being sought in a confidential manner to assess their willingness to provide the requested non-identifying or identifying information. An assessment interview is required before contact or reunion occurs.

  3. Even though basic search protocols will be completed and all reasonable leads will be exhausted, neither the Department nor the Confidential Intermediary can guarantee that the individual(s) sought will be:
    1. located;
    2. willing to release information;
    3. willing to agree to a contact or a reunion exchange, or
    4. alive.
  4. The individual being sought may grant or deny permission. The Confidential Intermediary may request a Consent Agreement or Disclosure Veto from the individual(s) being sought and will only provide the services that are authorized. Consents and Disclosure Vetos may be withdrawn at any time.

    In all cases, the Confidential Intermediary will attempt to obtain an Updated Non-identifying Medical/Family Background Heritage Information form and a Non-identifying Letter of Introduction. The Confidential Intermediary will notify you as to the outcome of these attempts.

    Although experience shows that it is rare, Confidential Intermediaries reserve the right not to facilitate a contact and/or reunion when, based on their professional opinion and that of a licensed social work supervisor, that doing so would injure either party.

    Although all parties are ensured that the Department and the Confidential Intermediary will not release identifying information without the consent of all involved parties. There is no guarantee that the individual seeking identifying information will not use other sources to locate the party being sought.
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What does it cost and what options are available for those who want to search when an adoption was finalized in Maryland?

  1. There are a variety of options available through Adoption Search, Contact and Reunion Services Administative fees are listed below. Upon request, fees may be reduced or waived for those with verified income at, or below the national poverty level.

    Gross Income Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry Only Adoption Search Services Only Both Services
    $ 0 - 23,690 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0
    $ 23,691 - 29,730 $ 10 $ 10 $ 20
    $ 29,731 - 40,000 $ 15 $ 15 $ 25
    $ 40001 and up $ 25 $ 25 $ 45

  2. Once you have paid the administrative fee to the State for either the Registry or Adoption Search Services, you are never charged a fee for that service again.

    If you are only interested in receiving non-identifying medical/family heritage background information collected at the time of the adoptees placement, or updated non-identifying medical/family heritage background information, you may apply for Adoption Search Services only.

  3. If you are interested in receiving both non-identifying and/or identifying information, you may apply for the Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry and Adoption Search Services.

  4. If you are requesting contact and reunion with the person(s) being sought, there is an incremental search fee for Confidential Intermediary services. Upon request, fees may be reduced or waived for those with verified income at, or below the national poverty level. Fees include compensation to the agency employing the certified Confidential Intermediary and reimbursement for search related expenses such as: counseling (up to three sessions), mileage, document retrieval, forms, postage, telephone calls and professional database services.

    Gross Income Documented Emergency Medical Non-ID Heritage Info From Case Record Updated Non-ID Heritage Info Search and Reunion with One Parent or One Adoptee Search and Reunion with Two Parents or Two Adoptees
    $ 0 - 23,690 $ 0 $ 50 $ 100 $ 175 $ 200
    $ 23,691 - 29,730 $ 0 $ 75 $ 150 $ 250 $ 300
    $ 29,731 - 40,000 $ 0 $ 85 $ 175 $ 300 $ 425
    $ 40001 and up $ 0 $ 100 $ 200 $ 325 $ 450

  5. Fees do not include the expense for the recommended initial assessment out of state applicants and individuals being sought.

  6. The search will not begin until you complete the initial assessment interview, enter into a Service Agreement and provide half of the payment for the services being requested.

  7. Once the search begins, the Confidential Intermediary is required to report the search outcome within 90 days. If information needed to complete the search is outstanding, the Confidential Intermediary may suggest modifying the Service Agreement to allow an additional 90 days. No additional fees will be charged to extend the service agreement for this 90-day period.

  8. The Confidential Intermediary will send you a written summary of findings after full payment has been received for the services rendered.

  9. If you requested higher level services within one year from the date the Service Agreement ends, you will only pay for the higher level service.

    Example: You enter into a Service Agreement with a Confidential Intermediary on October 10, 1999. You wanted non-identifying heritage information contained in the case record at the time of the adoptee's placement. The cost for this service was $100.00. The requested information was provided on December 5, 1999. On July 6, 2000, you decide you are interested in meeting one birth parent. The fee for this service is $325.00. Since it has been less than one year from the date your Service Agreement ended, you will only be charged $200.00.
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Stages of The Reunioin

STAGE ONE - THE HONEYMOON
Characterized by euphoria, joy and a sense of being on top of the world. Effort made by parties to find similarity and common interests. Much time is spent together in an effort to catch up on each other's lives; exchanges of pictures, letters and gifts; preoccupation with the other party. Minor negotiations about relationship, such as what to call birth relatives.

STAGE TWO - TIME OUT
One party may pull back to evaluate and process events. The honeymoon is over. The other party may feel confused when this occurs. Birth relatives may feel hurt, angry, frustrated and frightened of the adoptee, so pulls back. The adoptee may feel rejected by the birth relative if he/she pulls back. Problems in the relationship may develop at this time due to the lack of understanding of the emotional issues that surface during the search process. Society has few role models for this experience. Parties may need help to resolve the situation.

STAGE THREE - SHOW DOWN
Confrontation between the parties may happen. Issues will surface that will address the status of the relationship and its future development. If the birth relative initiates confrontation, she/he may fear the loss of the adoptee. The bond is fragile and the biological tie may not feel/be strong enough to ensure the outcome. If the adoptee confronts the birth relative, she/he may fear being rejected by the birth relative.

STAGE FOUR - DISENGAGEMENT OR SOLIDIFICATION
In this stage, disengagement is characterized by either the adoptee or the birth relative pulling back and away from the other party. Disengagement can be extremely painful for either party. Feelings of anger, loss and rejection are typical. This stage can occur if expectations are too rigid and differences between parties are just too great.

Solidification is characterized by continuing and sometimes earnest negotiations between all parties. Roles, differences and issues continue to be worked out, but the relationship is more solid and settled because agreement has been reached in many areas. Renegotiations occur as life changes and growth takes place and new relationship roles emerge.

Modified from a document found on the Internet.

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Mutual Consent Registry and Adoption Search Services Address

All services are coordinated through The Department of Human Resources
For more information contact:

Department of Human Resources
Social Services Administration
Mutual Consent Registry and Adoption Search Services
311 West Saratoga Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
1-800-39 ADOPT

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This Page Last Revised on January 3, 2007