| Connecticut Adoption Laws page #8 of 8 |
| Connecticut Adoption Laws |
Connecticut Who May Access Information
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 45a-746
Nonidentifying information is available to the following persons:
• The adult adopted person.
• The adoptive parents or guardian of the child.
• The legal representative of the adopted person.
• If the adopted person is deceased, any adult descendants, including adopted descendants.
Identifying information may be accessed by:
• The adopted adult.
• Any birth parent of the adopted adult, including any person claiming to be the father who was not a party to the proceedings for the termination of parental rights.
• Any adult birth sibling of the adult adopted person.
• If the adopted person is deceased, any adult descendants, including legally adopted descendants.
Access to Nonidentifying Information
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 45a-746
Nonidentifying information about the birth parents shall be provided in writing to the adopting parents prior to finalization of the adoption. The birth parents may access the information at any time for the purposes of verifying, correcting, or adding information. Information about the birth parents includes, but is not limited to:
• Age at the time of the child’s birth.
• Ethnic background and nationality.
• General physical appearance at the time of the child’s birth.
• Education and occupations of the birth parents.
• Talents, hobbies, and special interests.
• The existence of any other children born to either parent.
• Health history of the birth parents and blood relatives.
• The reasons for placing the child for adoption.
• The religion of the birth parents.
• Any other relevant nonidentifying information.
Mutual Access to Identifying Information
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 45a-751
Any authorized applicant may, by applying in person or in writing to the child-placing agency or the department, request the release of identifying information. The information should be released unless:
• The consents of every person whose identity is sought, as required by § 45a-751b, are not given.
• The release of the requested information would be seriously disruptive to or endanger the physical or emotional health of the applicant or the person whose identity is being requested.
Access to Original Birth Certificate
Citation: Ann. Stat. § 7-53
Any person seeking to examine or obtain a copy of the original birth certificate must obtain a written order from the court in the jurisdiction in which the adopted person was adopted or born. The court will determine that the examination or issuance of a copy of the birth certificate of the adopted person by the adopting parents or the adopted person, if over 18 years of age, or by any other person will not be detrimental to the public interest or to the welfare of the adopted person or the birth or adoptive parents.
Where the Information Can Be Located:
The department and each child-placing agency involved in the adoption shall maintain registries.
Connecticut Department of Children and Families, Office of Foster and Adoption Services.
Connecticut Vital Records Information
This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information
Gateway. Available online at www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/infoaccessap.cfm.
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A Grassroots Organization “ACCESS CONNECTICUT” has Formed to Change Connecticut Law to Allow Adult Adoptees Access to Their Original Birth Certificates
Hartford, Connecticut: 12-10-2010 - a grassroots effort called “ACCESS CONNECTICUT” comprised of adoptees, birthparents and adoptive parents has been formed to help pass legislation allowing adult adoptees born in Connecticut to access their original birth certificates (OBC). Members of ACCESS CONNECTICUT believe that Connecticut adoptees have been denied the human right that all other residents of Connecticut have – the right to obtain non-certified copies of their original, unamended birth certificates from the vital records office. It is their history, it is their origin and we believe they have the human right to that information.
Since 2005 New Hampshire and Maine have passed legislation allowing all its adult adoptees to obtain a non-certified copy of their OBC. In 2004 the New Hampshire legislature passed Senate Bill 335 (SB 335), and in 2007 the Maine legislature passed LD 1084. In both states nearly 70% of its legislators voted in favor of restoring the human right to its native born adult adoptees to obtain their OBC. Since 2005 New Hampshire Vital Records has issued over 1300 original birth certificates to NH born adult adoptees.
Many who oppose this type of legislation proclaim that lives would be ruined, their state’s Vital Records office negatively affected, fiscal notes required, and abortions would increase while adoptions decrease. In the states that have passed almost identical legislation none of the grave concerns voiced by the opposition have come true. As of 2007 Oregon and Alabama abortion rates have declined at least 10% compared to only a 2% decline in abortions nationally. In Oregon after adoptee access, a six-year decline in adoptions stopped and adoption numbers leveled off.
In New Hampshire or Maine no fiscal note was required to implement SB335 or LD 1084. The new law has resulted in New Hampshire Vital Records collecting over $20,000 since it went into effect. New Hampshire and Maine Vital Records also modeled their websites, forms and procedures on lessons learned by Oregon which allowed them to implement this new policy almost seamlessly.
The public is invited to the first public meeting of ACCESS CONNECTICUT which is scheduled for December 11th from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM and will be held at the Connecticut Foster Adoptive Parents Association (CAFAP) office located at 2189 Silas Deane Highway, Suite 2, Rocky Hill, Connecticut 06067
ACCESS CONNECTICUT is actively looking for new members across the State of Connecticut who is willing to work to change Connecticut’s adoption law to allow adult adoptees to access their original birth certificate. If this is legislation you would like to support please contact Jane Servadio, a birth mother from Milford CT, at 203-874-2023 or janerino@optonline.net or Eileen McQuade, a birthmother from South Windsor, CT at 561-279-7714 or eileen2155@gmail.com or Carolyn Goodridge, an adoption professional, 860-258-3400 or at carolyn.goodridge@cafap.com.
Paul Schibbelhute
Legislative Coordinator
ACCESS CONNECTICUT
15 Seminole Dr
Nashua, NH 03063
pschibbe@aol.com
Cell 603-930-2091
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