Access to Adoption Records

Who May Access Information
Citation: Ann. Stat. §§ 109.455; 109.500

The voluntary adoption registry may be used to obtain identifying information by the following persons:

• A birth parent
• An adult adoptee
• An adult birth sibling
• The adoptive parent of a deceased adoptee
• The parents or adult siblings of a deceased birth parent

Nonidentifying information may be released to:

• The adoptive parents of the child or the child's guardian
• The birth parent of the adoptee
• An adult adopteen
• If the adoptee is deceased:
  • The adoptee's spouse if the spouse is the birth parent of the adoptee's child or the guardian of any child of the adoptee
  • Any progeny of the adoptee who is age 18 or older

Access to Nonidentifying Information
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 109.500

A genetic and social history and health history that excludes information identifying any birth parent or putative father, member of a birth parent's or putative father's family, the adoptee or the adoptive parents of the adoptee may be provided, if available, from an agency upon request to the persons listed above.

Mutual Access to Identifying Information
Citation: Ann. Stat. §§ 109.455; 109.460

The persons listed above may use the voluntary adoption registry for obtaining identifying information about birth parents, the putative father, the adult adoptee, and adult birth siblings.

• An adult adoptee who has a birth sibling in the adult adoptee's adoptive family who is under age 18 may not have access to the registry.
• A putative father may not have access to the registry.

The persons listed above shall work through the agency involved in the adoption, or its successor agency, or the Department of Human Services to receive information concerning the adoption.

The persons listed above and a putative father may register by submitting a signed affidavit to the registry. The affidavit shall contain the information listed in § 109.465 and a statement of the registrant's willingness to be identified to the other relevant persons who register. The affidavit gives authority to the registry to release identifying information to the other relevant persons who register. Each registration shall be accompanied by the birth certificate of the registrant.

An adoptee, or the parent or guardian of an adoptee under age 18, may register to have specific identifying information disclosed to Indian Tribes or to governmental agencies in order to establish the adoptee's eligibility for Tribal membership or for benefits or to a person settling an estate.

If a birth parent or an adoptee fails to file an affidavit with the registry for any reason, including death or disability, identifying information shall not be disclosed.

Access to Original Birth Certificate
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 432.240

Upon receipt of a written application to the State Registrar, any adoptee age 21 and older born in the State of Oregon shall be issued a certified copy of his or her unaltered, original, and unamended certificate of birth that is in the custody of the State Registrar, with procedures, filing fees, and waiting periods identical to those imposed upon nonadopted citizens.

A birth parent may at any time request from the State Registrar of the Center for Health Statistics or from a voluntary adoption registry a Contact Preference Form that shall accompany a birth certificate issued under the section above. The Contact Preference Form shall provide the following information to be completed at the option of the birth parent:

• I would like to be contacted.
• I would prefer to be contacted only through an intermediary.
• I prefer not to be contacted at this time. If I decide later that I would like to be contacted, I will register with the voluntary adoption registry. I have completed an updated medical history and have filed it with the voluntary adoption registry.

The certificate from the voluntary adoption registry verifying receipt of an updated medical history shall be in a form prescribed by the Department of Human Services and shall be supplied upon request of the birth parent by the voluntary adoption registry.

When the State Registrar receives a completed Contact Preference Form from a birth parent, the State Registrar shall match the Contact Preference Form with the adoptee's sealed file. The Contact Preference Form shall be placed in the adoptee's sealed file when a match is made. A completed Contact Preference Form shall be confidential.

Adopted adults age 21 and older have access to the original birth certificate, and birth parents may file a contact preference form.
http://www.ohd.hr.state.or.us/chs/certif/preadopt.htm

Where the Information Can Be Located

Voluntary Adoption Registry, Oregon Department of Human Services

Contact:

Oregon State Office for Services to Children and Families
Adoption Registry
500 Summer Street, NE
2nd Floor
Salem, OR 97310-1017
(503) 945-6643
http://www.dhs.state.or.us/children/adoption/adopt_registry/index.htm

Credits: Child Welfare Information Gateway (http://www.childwelfare.gov)