The Adoption Files

Please join me as i speak with:

Lynne Miller, Late Discovery Adoptee and writer at the blog adopteerevelations.com

Laureen Pittman: adoptee, author of the Lies that Bind

Andrea Coates: adoptee ally, search angel and LCSW

Lynn Grubb: adoptee, adoptee advocate, author of Hidden Identity

Plenary Adoption: plenary adoption, as practiced in many places including the United States, is a form of adoption that terminates the relationship between an adoptees family and the adoptee. Records are usually sealed and unavailable to the adoptee, even as an adult. In most cases, adoptive parents are given the option to replace the adopted persons original birth certificate with a legal fiction that changes the adoptees name and may also alter details such as place of birth, race and nationality, 

The opinions of the host and their guests are just that: our opinions

Adoptee/non adoptee conversations are especially crucial as we confront the consequences of the recent ruling by the Supreme Court, overturning Roe v Wade. The decision has profound implications for adoption, the child welfare system, family preservation efforts and human rights. As the responsibility shifts to the states, adoptees will increasingly need kept people to ally themselves with the adoptee community to enact legislation protecting our rights to our own identities and agency. This statement does not ignore all of the other fuckery involved in the denial of womens reproductive rights. This is an adoptee advocacy platform. Adoption is not the solution to abortion. Stop conflating adoption with abortion. Thank you

Mary Constance is an adoptee from Ohio. Mary is preparing to walk across America to bring attention to the inequity faced by adoptees in seeking access to our original birth certificates. 

Mentioned in the show:

Ohio adoptee access to records: https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/odh/know-our-programs/vital-statistics/Adoption-File-Information/Adoption-File-Information

The Chosen Baby: a pro-adoption childrens books by Valentina P Wasson, designed to help adoptive parents explain adoption to adopted children. 

ACOA: Adult Children of Alcoholics. adultchildren.org  A support group for adult children of alcoholics

Generational Trauma: a fairly new field that explores trauma passed from one generation to another. Also known as intergenerational trauma and transgenerational trauma

Life Gap: a term created by an adoptee to refer to the time between birth and adoption, where few if any records are available to adoptees. Many of us deeply feel the absence of this information, of a time when we were cared for in an institutional or foster care situation. 

ACE: Adverse Childhood Experience. While Adverse Childhood Experiences have long been acknowledged as a source of lasting trauma, few measures include being given up for adoption as a trauma. The closest many assessments come is to have losing a family member on the list of recognized trauma. 

PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, is characterized by sleep disturbance, intrusive thoughts, anxiety and depression. A persons nervous system is often stuck in high gear, causing a person to be hyper alert at all times. Or, they may find themselves in flight, freeze or fawn. Therapy can be very helpful. Many people find EMDR, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and Prolonged Exposure Therapy helpful. 

Agoraphobia: an anxiety disorder that causes a person to be fearful of places where they feel they can't escape. This may cause people to stay only in places where they feel secure, like home. Therapy can be very helpful. 

Mental Health Resources: If you have health insurance, you can contact your provider to find information about the services available to you. If you do not have insurance, you can contact www.nami.org for information about resources, or contact your local department of health. If you are a student, your school may offer services. Mental health services can be difficult to locate, though there are now online therapists who can be helpful. Always check if a provider is licensed, and ask if they will provide services on a sliding scale. Some Womens health clinics offer sliding scale mental health services to women and children. 

Paul Sunderland: an internationally known expert on addiction. He has spoken on adoption and addiction. Here is a popular youtube video: https://youtu.be/3e0-SsmOUJI

Red Couch Rebuttal: a roundtable produced in response to a fundraising film created by The Cradle Evanston, an adoption agency in Illinois. https://youtu.be/-VgK_3n798I

The Ghost Kingdom: first coined by Betty Jean Lifton, the Ghost Kingdom is the imaginary family that adoptees create in place of the families we have been denied contact with

Disclaimers: The host is not a lawyer. The laws are discussed to the best of our ability.  

The opinions expressed by the host and their guests are just that, opinions. 

Margaret is an adoptee from Ontario, Canada. Margaret is a kinship adoptee, who did not discover until she was older that her adoptive family is her family. 

She is the author of two books:  Adoption: The Truth Comes Out, and Overwhelmed by God's Grace, Uncovering the Truth about Adoption. 

Margaret has a podcast: Maggie Closet Chats, on Spotify

Mentioned in the podcast:

Ontario, Canada adoptee access to records: www.ontario.ca/page/search-adoption-records#section-0

Origins Canada: www.originscanada.org  An organization providing resources for those seperated by adoption

Adoption Council of Ontario: Adoption.on.ca  An organization providing information and resources for all members of the adoption constellation

Adoptee support groups:

Adoption Trauma Network on Facebook and @adoptiontraumanet on Instagram

Adoptees Connect: www.adopteesconnect.com

Disclaimers: the host is not a lawyer. The opinions expressed by the host and their guests are simply that; opinions. 

The Georgia Alliance for Adoptee Rights was founded by Jamie Weiss and Courtney Humbaugh to advocate for the rights of all Georgia adoptees to unrestricted access to their original birth documents. 

Georgia Alliance for Adoptee Rights can be found at:

Gaallianceforadopteerights.org*

Info@gaallianceforadopteerights.org

FB.com/gaadopteerights

Instagram.com/gaadopteerights

Mentioned in the show

Georgia adoption law: Dfcs.georgia.gov/services/adoption, also Georgia Code 31-10-14 and Georgia Code 19-8-23(3)(A). Links to the relevant laws can be found by going to adopteerightslaw.com, clicking FInd Out under Who Holds your Truth, then click on Georgia

Accessing Georgia adoption records: Dfcs.Georgia.gov/sevices/adoption      Birth Family Search. 

Greg Luce: Greg Luce is an adoptee and attorney who founded Adoptee Rights Law Center and is the president of Adoptees United, Inc. 

Adopteerightslaw.com: Excellent site with easy to use links to state laws and information on current legislative efforts*

Adopteesunited.org: A non-profit organization dedicated to pursuing equality for all adopted people*

Tennessee Children's Home Society/Georgia Tann: Georgia Tann and the Tennessee Children's Home Society were involved in the trafficking of children for adoption during the first part of the twentieth century. A number of books, articles and documentaries have been produced discussing this and the ongoing influence of Tanns actions on the modern adoption industry. 

Organizations aligned with the Georgia Alliance for Adoptee Rights:

Adoptee Rights Law Center*

Adoptees United*

The Family Preservation Project*

Signed, Sealed, Adopted*

Saving Our Sisters*

Resource:

Adoptee therapy: grow beyond words.com

*please consider making a donation to any or all of these organization to help them continue their advocacy work

Disclaimers:

The host is not a lawyer.
All opinions expressed by the host and their guests on the podcast are just that, opinions. 

Please join me as I speak with Jamie Weiss; professional photographer, writer and adoptee rights activist. She is one of the co-founders of the Georgia Alliance for Adoptee Rights. Jamie Weiss was born in Virginia, but adopted in the state of Georgia. 

Jamie can be found at:

signedsealedadopted.com

signedsealedadopted@gmail.com

fb.com/signedsealedadopted

instagram.com/signedsealedadopted

Mentioned in the podcast:

Georgia Adoption Law: Georgia is a closed state. Adoptees are not allowed unrestricted access to records. They may participate in a reunion registry, or appeal to the court.

Georgia Adoption Reunion Registry: ga-adoptionreunion.com: There are several adoption reunion registries in Georgia. This is the only one licensed with the state of Georgia. They are a non-profit contracted by the state to administer the states mandated registry. Contact with family only occurs if the people concerned have given written consent. Assistance is fee based.

Georgia Alliance for Adoptee Rights   gaallianceforadopteerights.org: GAAR. The alliance is a coalition of state and national organizations fighting for Georgia adoptees rights to unrestricted access to their original documents

Virginia adoption law: Virginia is a closed state. Adoptees must provide the court with good cause in order to have records released. 

Ancestry.com: The largest commercial DNA testing company. 

Resources:

growbeyondwords.com: a resource for adoptees seeking adoptee informed therapists

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed are just those: Opinions. 

Please join me as I speak with Emma Stevens, domestic adoptee and author of the newly released memoir, The Gathering Place.  Emma's book can be found on Amazon, including on Audible, where Emma narrates her book. 

Emma is a U.S. domestic adoptee from birth. She has survived layers of trauma that have put her on multiple journeys. She developed the inner strength and courage to surmount the many struggles she faced. Emma is dedicated to helping redefine the narrative of adoption to include the entire complex truth. 

Emma has an undergraduate degree in journalism and has completed Master's level course work in psychology, specializing in Marriage, Family and Child counseling. 

@emmastevensthegatheringplace for both FB and Instagram

@emmastevensTGP for Twitter

Amazon link: The Gathering Place: An Adoptee's Story by Amazon.com  Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HH8PDGL/ref=cm-sw-em-r-mt-dp-H7K29VVG86PP0VH7GGV4

Mentioned in the interview:

Colorado law: www.courts.state.co.us. Fill in access to adoption records in search bar

Gabor Mate: Dr Mate is a physician and author who has written and spoken extensively on childhood trauma

ACOA: Adult Children of Alcoholics. adultchildren.org  A support group and educational service for adult children of alcoholics

AA: Alcoholics Anonymous  www.aa.org  A support group for people struggling with alcohol addiction

Twelve Step Programs: Twelve step programs to help individuals recover from maladaptive coping strategies originated with Alcoholic Anonymous. These programs incorporate steps to help people learn new ways to cope with challenges as varied as alcohol and drug addiction to compulsive shopping. 

Paul Sunderland: paulsunderland.org. Therapist Paul Sunderland is known for his work with people in recovery, and frequently speaks on relinquishment trauma and substance abuse. 

Implicit Memory: https://biologydictionary.net/implicit-memory. Implicit memory has many facets, but is most commonly referred to as unconscious memory.

Anne Heffron: www.anneheffron.com. Anne Heffron is an adoptee, author and teacher. 

While not mentioned in the interview, I am now including the website for adoptee-centric therapists as an additional resource adoptees may wish to explore. the site is growbeyondwords.com

*Disclaimer: the host of the podcast The Adoption Files is not a lawyer. All discussion of relevant law should be considered the opinion of the host and her guests. The laws are discussed to the best of our ability. All opinions voiced on the podcast are simply the opinions of the host and the guests and are not meant to malign any person or persons. Unless you consider the Adoption Industry a person. Then all bets are off. 

Daryn Watson was born and adopted in Alberta, Canada. Daryn is an Adoption Reunion Coach and also writes a blog, The Adoptee Mind. He has been a guest on Jennifer Dyan Ghostons podcast Once Upon a Time in Adopteeland, and on Julie Jackson and Richard Castles podcast Cut-off Genes. 

Daryn can be found at Adoption Reunion Coaching on Facebook, and on his blog, The Adoptee Mind (also on FB) 

Mentioned on the show:

Once upon a time in adopteeland: www.onceuponatimeinadopteeland.com, episode 43

Cut-off Genes: cutoffgenes.libsyn.com, episode 502

Alberta Ca Adoptee Access to Original documents: Alberta.ca, enter Adoption Records in the search bar

Manitoba Law: vitalstats.gov.mb.ca; enter adoption records in search bar

Journey of the Adopted Self, by Betty Jean LIfton

The Primal Wound by Nancy Verrier

Redaction Veto/clause: a legal mechanism that allows parents, and sometimes adoptive parents to prevent adoptees from accessing identifying material in their adoption records. If a redaction clause exists and has been filed, all identifying material is redacted. Laws governing when these redactions can be signed and how long they last vary by province or state.

Zombie Veto: a redaction clause that remains in effect even after the parent dies. 

Paul Sunderland: Paul Sunderland is an internationally recognized expert on addiction issues and speaks frequently on the intersection of adoption with the incidence of addiction. His work can be found in print, and on Youtube. 

Gabor Mate: Gabor Mate is a physician who has written a number of books on addiction, trauma, childhood development and stress. 

Anne is an adoptee from Nebraska. She is currently at work writing a fiction-ish novel that treats adoptees from an adoption-informed perspective. She is also participating in an anthology related to her membership in the group Flourish, headed by Pam Cordano and Anne Heffron. 

Mentioned in the show:

Adoptee Chameleon: adoptees are sometimes described as chameleons, given we often learn to conceal ourselves in order to fit into our environment

Kansas laws regarding adoptee access to documents: www.dcf.ks.gov/services/PPS/pages/adoption-records-and-search. Kansas allows adoptees unrestricted access to their own original birth documents. 

Nebraska laws regarding adoptee access to documents: dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Vital-Records-Service-Options.aspx. Nebraska does not allow adoptees unrestricted access to original birth documents. They have a complex, confusing set of regulations governing release. 

The District of Columbia; laws regarding adoptee access to documents: The District of Columbia does not allow unrestricted access to adoptions that took place after 1 September, 1937.  

Zombie Veto: a veto that maintains restricted access to identifying information even after the death of the parent who has signed a non-consent or redaction veto. *

Adoptee Rights Law Center: an excellent resource regarding the status of state laws regarding adoptee access to original birth certificates, established and maintained by lawyer and adoptee Gregory Luce. 

23 and Me: a commercial DNA testing company that provides information on health, ethnicity and genetic matches.

Salvation Army Booth Memorial Hospital: maternityrecordswest.salvationarmy.org  maintains records from the maternity hospitals once run by the Salvation Hospital. Adoptees born in these hospitals can request and receive redacted non-identifying information about themselves so long as the records still exist. 

Lutheran Family Services: www.lfsneb.org

Paul Sunderland: Adoption and Addiction Full Lecture, youtube.com

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Adoptees Connect: adopteesconnect.com

*Since the recording of this episode, I re-read the laws that allow adoptive parents in Nebraska to deny access to identifying information to adoptees. I had originally misunderstood the law to be a Zombie Veto. While Nebraska adoptive parents may block adoptees from receiving identifying information during their lifetimes, the veto expires after the adoptive parent who filed the veto dies. The adoptee must be able to demonstrate to the state that the adoptive parent in question is deceased. The state promises to make a "reasonable effort to determine if the person is deceased", adoptees have reported that the states efforts are not very vigorous and have missed deaths that occurred in other states. 

Kirsten Weatherford was born and adopted in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania has some very odd eligibility requirements for adoptees seeking access to their documents. Join me as Kirsten and I talk about these requirements, her personal journey in requesting her adoption file, and her efforts to be present for young adoptees. 

Kirsten is the author of the book Finding My Way Home. She was a guest on Haley Radkes podcast. Kirstens can be heard on episode 168 of Adoptees on, as part of the Estrangement Series. Kirsten has a blog, nomoremisfit.com, and can also be found on Instagram @nomoremistfit

Mentioned in the show:

Pennsylvania law: health.Pa.gov. Enter:  Information for adoptees in the search bar

KidsPeace Pennsylvania Foster Care and Community Programs(Facebook page): an organization hired by the state of Pennsylvania to provide intermediary services 

Benaroya Research Institute: Benroya is a research group looking into the causes and cures for autoimmune disorders. 

Support resources:

Adoption Trauma Network on Facebook

National Association of Adopted People

Adoptees Connect

Adult Survivors of Foster Care

lGBTQIA+Adoptee

Adoptees, NPEs, Donor Conceived and Other Genetic Identity Seekers (facebook)

RAINN: not adoptee specific; provides support for survivors of sexual abuse

Al-Anon: not adoptee specific; a group for people impacted by others substance abuse

Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous: not adoptee specific; groups for people dealing with alcohol and drug addiction 

Please join me as I talk with Deborah Yemm, author of the blog Missing Mom. Deborah is the child of adoptees, who sought to honor her parents and find her own history by applying for documents from the states of Tennessee and Texas. Deborahs story:

Mentioned in the podcast:

Tennessee Childrens' Home Society: an orphanage that existed in the state of Tennessee during the first half of the twentieth century. The Society is best known because of the practices of Georgia Tann, who ran the Memphis branch. For more information, visit the website of the Memphis Public Library, which maintains an extensive archive on the childrens' home. www.memphislibrary.org

Georgia Tann: the child trafficking practiced by this woman resulted in a huge scandal that led to the state of Tennessee allowing access to adoption records to people adopted through the Tennessee Childrens Home Society during her tenure as director. 

Tennessee Adoption laws: Tennessee allows adoptees over the age of 21 to request their records. This does not guarantee you will be given your records. For frequently asked questions, visit: tn.gov, Tennessee Adoption Records FAQ. the place to find an application is at files.dcs.tn.gov. Some aspects of current law are due to change in July of this year. For more information on the law, you can visit adopteerightslaw.com. click Find Out, under Who Holds Your Truth, and go to the state of Tennessee and click. 

Salvation Army Childrens Services: Foster Care and Adoption Program: the Salvation Armys Childrens Services are headquartered at 2200 Hamilton St, Allentown, Pa 18104. http:/www.care4kids.net/  (610) 821 7706

Texas Adoption Laws: Texas law allows adoptees over the age of 18 to apply for a non-certified copy of their original birth certificate as long as the applicant can provide the names of the parents listed on the original, and, if I am reading this correctly, were placed for adoption through the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. You can visit the Texas Department of State Health Services at www.dshs.state.tx.us and type in Original Birth Certificate for Adult Adoptee for directions on how to apply 

Before We Were Yours: a book by Lisa Wingate, inspired by accounts of the Georgia Tann/Tennessee Childrens Home Society child trafficking scandal. 

The Baby Thief: a non-fiction account of the events that took place at the Tennessee Childrens Home Society and Georgia Tanns impact on the commercialiation of adoption,  by Barbara Bisantz Raymond

WPA: the Works Progress Administration was part of the New Deal, providing jobs to millions of Americans during the years 1935-1943. Employees worked on public works projects nationwide. 

Please join me as I speak with Oregon adoptee Christine Dechert. Christine participated in the advocacy movement that resulted in Oregon becoming one of only ten states in the US to have truly unrestricted access for adoptees to their original birth certificates. Christines family history is complex, as her mother was also adopted. While Oregons laws now allow adoptees to receive OBCs, the state of Montana, where Christines mother was born does not allow unrestricted access to adoptee documents. 

Mentioned in the podcast:

Oregon and Montana adoptee access to records laws: for a good review of the laws, visit adopteerightslaw.com. 

Adoption Triad: a term used to represent the three aspects of adoption; the families of origin, the adoptee and the adoptive parents. 

Reactive Attachment Disorder(RAD)* Reactive Attachment Disorder is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a condition characterized by "grossly abnormal attachment behaviors in early childhood, occurring in the context of grossly inadequate child care. There are many ways that the attachment issues can be expressed. The disorders diagnosis is pretty controversial when applied to adoptees.

 *This is just my opinion, but I believe it is often used to invalidate the trauma inherent in relinquishment by making the adoptee the "identified patient" and allow adoptive parents and our culture to avoid identifying the problems caused by erasing a persons identity and ignoring their grief. I believe that any time we hear the label of RAD being used to describe an adopted person, by non-adopted and non-adoption trauma informed individuals, we should immediately treat that label as highly suspicious. 

Please join me as I speak with Dr. Abby Hasberry, a transracial Maryland adoptee from a closed adoption. Dr Hasberry has a BS in African American Studies and Sociology, her MA in teaching K-12, and her PhD in curriculum and instruction. She is currently studying for her MEd to become a licensed marriage and family therapist specifically to address the lack of African-Amderican, adoption-experienced counselors. 

Mentioned in the interview:

Mutual Contact Registry: a mutual contact registry is a registry that allows adoptees to leave contact information for interested family members. If the family member(s) have left their own contact information or do so in future, the registry will notify the adoptee. 

Search person/Intermediary: a search person may be a person who searches for free, such as a Search Angel with the Search Squad, or a payed person who acts as a go-between. Some states mandate that adoptees utilize the services of a designated intermediary in attempting to obtain documents and make contact. 

Maryland Adoptee access to records laws: for an easy to understand overview of the states closed access status visit adopteerightslaw.com

Ghost Kingdom: the Ghost Kingdom is the space where an adoptees relatives live in their imaginations. It is a term coined by psychologist Betty Lifton

Brain-spotting: brainspotting is a form of therapy that utilizes the eyes and eye movement during talk therapy to assist clients in dealing with topics such as trauma and anxiety. 

Samantha is the daughter of Canadian parents. Her mother traveled to the United Kingdom to give birth, where Samantha was adopted by an American woman and her English husband. Listen as we talk about what requesting adoption documents is like in the UK, especially compared to requesting the same documents in the United States. 

Samantha is an artist and academic coach/dyslexia specialist. She has a BA in Metals Design, an MA in Visual Arts/Sculpture and a Post-Grad qualification in Dyslexia.  

She can be found on Instagram @samanthagwilles and through her blog: stoleninplainsight.weebly.com

Mentioned in the interview:

Mr Fairweather and His Family, by Margaret Kornitzer

The Chosen Baby, by Valentina Pavlovna Wasson

Adoption and Adoptee information in the United Kingdom:  

The General Register Office: www.gro.gov.uk: you can order birth, adoption, marriage, civil partnership and death certificates from the GRO

The General Register Office is also where you can apply for your adoption records. You must be over 18 years of age. If born before 12 November 1975, you will need to attend a counseling session with an approved counselor first. To do this, you must contact the Adoption Council in the district where your adoption was filed. 

Hi! Welcome to another episode of The Adoption Files. Please join me as I talk with Lisa Ann about the challenges of being adopted in Iowa and seeking your documents. We discuss how so many of us must become detectives, utilizing DNA tests, learning to decipher the meaning of centimorgans and the perils of making contact with matches. 

 Lisa Ann is a closed adoption adoptee from the Baby Scoop Era, who authors the blog and hosts the podcast: The Wandering Tree. These focus on Lisa's experiences of searching and reunion, how the journey has been shared with family and friends and the impact it has had on their lives. 

You can connect with Lisa Ann viz the website: wanderingtreeadoptee.com  

Or, look for her via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Audible or other podcast platforms. 

Resources:

Dna Detectives Facebook page: A private page dedicated to helping people use DNA to find biological family for adoptees, foundlings, donor-conceived individuals, unknown paternity and other types of unkown parentage cases. This group is open to non-adoptees also. 

Adoption Reunions; Sioux City, Iowa Facebook group for Sioux City parents children and siblings involved in adoption through Florence Crittenton Home, Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services or private attorneys   https:/www.facebook.com/groups/1758507587707530

Iowa Adoptees and Family Coalition Facebook Group: A coalition of adult adoptees, birth and adoptive family members joining together to change the Iowa laws restricting access to Original Birth Certificates (OBCs) and to educate Iowans about adoptin and searching. https:/www.facebook.com/IowaAdopteeRights

Iowa Department of Public Health 

HF855: signed into law on May 19 2021. Adoptees born before 1 January 1971 can receive noncertified copy of their OBC. If adoptee is deceased, an entitled family member may apply. https:/idph.iowa.gov/health-statistics/Open-Adoption. The new law does contain a redaction clause, worded as a contact preference form. If a parent does not wish to be contacted, they may fill out the form and all identifying information will be redacted. 

Family Tree Magazine Podcast: www.familytreemagazine.com/genealogy-podcast

DNA Painter: dnapainter.com/tools/sharedcmv4  Use the tools found on DNA Painter to help demystify your DNA results. They have four tools that use different pieces of your information to assist in determining DNA relationships. 

The Leeds Method-DNA Color Clustering: www.dnaleeds.com/the-leeds-method: a spreadsheet that helps to sort DNA matches into color-coded groups based on shared ancestors. 

*Being real here. I had every intention of reading and absorbing all of the editing instructions and making this neat and clean. Or, if that didn't work, hire some eighth grader to mock me whilst taking my money to do it for me. I also thought my spouse would be well, and I would not be waiting to see if a neurologist could fit us into their schedule so they could take pictures of his brain. As I sit here typing this, all I can say is that the last six weeks have been challenging.Yes, I am throwing myself upon your mercy. Please listen to the conversations for the content, and ignore the technical difficulties. If I can't figure this sh*t out for myself by the end of January, I am finding someone to trade with who will teach me the ways of the editing suite. Until then, much love and gratitude for your patience and compassion. 

Please join me as I discuss adoption and the closed state of Georgia with adoptee Courtney Humbaugh. Courtney was born on Christmas day in Augusta, Georgia and adopted five months later to a family in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2010 she began her journey to discover her roots and her birth story. In 2020, she petitioned the court system in Georgia for her adoption records. 

Ms. Humbaugh works in the public relations, media and marketing industry. She is a former television news reporter and most recently has served the trasnportation indjustry with expertise in social media platforms, event planning, public speaking, medcia production and print design, Ms. Humbaugh holds a communication degree from Florida State University. 

Resources mentioned in the interview: 

Concerned United Birthparents: cubirthparents.org

Adoptees United: adopteesunited.org

Adoptees on, with Haley Radke: adopteeson.com

Georgia Alliance for Adoptee Rights: gaallianceforadopteerights.org

Lesli Johnson, MFT: leslijohnson.com

Adoptee-centric therapy:growbeyondwords.com

Kate Murphy: katemurphytherapy.com

Adoption attorney, state of Georgia: gababylaw.com

Please join author and blogger Elle Cuardaigh and I for a bonus birthday episode! Elle is the author of the book The Tangled Red Thread, and participated in the adoptee anthology The Adoptee Survival Guide. She can be found at ellecuardaigh.com, where she blogs about adoption and her adoptee reality. 

We discuss a WTF moment; one that far too many adoptees face. 

Elle shares a wonderful article given to her by her mother on the day of their reunion. 

Be forewarned! We talk about the recent Texas abortion restrictions, and whether adoption is a "solution." We have opinions, and not everyone is going to agree with us. 

Lora K Joy is the author of two illustrated books: NoBody Looks Like Me: An Adoptee Experience, and Goodbye Hypervigilance: Healing Adoptee Worries. She can also be found on her blog My Adoptee Truth, and @adopteelorakjoy on Instagram. Lora was featured on episode 185 of Haley Radke's podcast Adoptees On. 

Lora was born and raised in Indiana. Please join as as Lora explains the Four Things that guided her search for identity and her experience with her adoption files. 

Resources:

All the books! many of which can be found at: adopteereading.com   

Adoptees on,  podcast

Facebook support groups for adoptees

Today I talk with Author and blogger Elle Cuardaigh.

Please join us as Elle Cuardaigh and I visit dark places, discuss documents and enjoy talking each others ears off. Elle is the only person I know with crashing a funeral in her biography! 

Elle can be found at ellecuardaigh.com, where she blogs about her reality as an adopted person. She is the author of The Tanlged Red Thread, and participated int he adoptee anthology, The Adoptee Survivial Guide, edited by Lynn Grubb. 

Some of the things discussed in our chat:

Washington State Adoption Law

WARM: Washington Adoption Reunion Movement, warmsearch.org

Bess Gilroy Adoption Home/ Hospital

Adoptees Connect: adopteesconnect.com

HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 is a U.S. regulation that addresses privacy rules concerning medical information. 

Becky is a fellow Baby Scoop Era adoptee. Born in the state of Ohio, Becky is the Queen of Persistence. Please join us as we discuss her over THIRTY year pursuit of her documents and her identity; plus, antique tractors. 

Becky Conrad Drinnen is co-facilitator for Adoption Network Clevelands DNA Discoveries support group. She has written articles tor two adoption anthologies, Adoption in the Social Media Age and The Adoptee Survival Guide. She has also been a guest on Haley Radke's wonderful Adoptees On podcast. 

You will also note that my lack of editing skill is once again highlighted in this episode, as I do battle with the perils of unstable internet connections, and Becky patiently waits for me to get my act together. 

Organization mentioned in the episode:

Adoption Network Cleveland:  https://adoptionnetwork.org

Jude Conn is from the greater Charlotte, North Carolina area. She is a certified professional massage therapist and Reiki Master as well as a contemporary spiritual teacher and holistic life coach. She is also a Closed, Private, Stranger Adoption at two days old. Jude was adopted in the state of Virginia.  Please join me and Jude as we discuss the barriers that exist in procuring adoptee records from Virginia, and how we are affected when we are told that we are the result of a sexual assault. 

Virginia adoptee right to access: an adult adoptee has the right to apply for non-identifying information from their adoption files. The application is a one page document which must be printed, filled out, notarized and submitted for consideration. An adult adoptee may also apply for identifying information, but if they do so, they must show "good cause." The birthparent must consent to the release of this material, and the adoptee must include a signed letter from a doctor affirming that the adopted person has a serious medical condition that should be disclosed to the parent. The Virginia State Department of Social Services may deny any application without explanation. The adoptee must then appeal to a court of law and appear before a judge to make their case. This process is referred to as "Breaking the Seal of Adoption".

Michelle Madden is a fellow Baby Scoop era adoptee. She is also a mom, a Reading Specialist who has been working as a Special Education teacher for many years, and a marvelous person. Join us as we talk about the crucial nature of medical histories, and the difficulties of navigating not just one, but two countries bureaucracies in her search for answers. 

Baby Scoop Era: The Baby Scoop Era was a period of time from roughly 1945 to the 1970s. The Baby Scoop Era was characterized by the shaming of unwed mothers into relinquishing their children for adoption. Adoptions were often shrouded in secrecy, and the falsification of birth records was common. 

Grey Market Adoption: this is an adoption that takes place through a lawyer rather than through an agency. They are sometimes facilitated by doctors. They are legal, but ethically questionable.

Clinical Geneticist: a clinical geneticist is a doctor who works with patients dealing with conditions related to a hereditary issue

Adoptee-centric therapist: an adoptee centric therapist is a therapist educated in the issues that confront adopted people. Often, the therapists are adoptees themselves, and uniquely situated to understand the challenges adoptees face.

Illinois adoptee access to records law: In 2011, Illinois amended their laws, allowing adoptees born before 1946full access to their original birth certificates. Adoptees born after that date who are over 21years of age may receive their original birth certificate if their birth parent did not file a veto before November of 2011.

*note: I am new at this podcast business. You will hear me say Oops at the beginning of this broadcast. Do not be alarmed. That was me realizing I had accidentally hit record before I was ready to record. I thought, I will just edit that out later. If only my computer was so agreeable. I am learning as I go along. 🙂

Julie Ryan McGue is the author of  the award winning memoir Twice a Daugher; a Search for Identity, Family and Belonging. To say her book is well-written does not convey how beautifully Julie communicates her journey as she navigates the complex emotional interactions involved in obtaining answers for herself and her twin sister. 

Julie Ryan Mcgue can be found on Facebook @juliemcguewrites, on Instagram @juliermcgue and on Twitter @juliermcgue

Resources

Catholic Charities: Catholic Charities provides post-adoption support to adoptees who were adopted through Catholic Charities

Midwest Adoption Center: Midwest Adoption Center provides information and servces to people impacted by adoption and foster care in the state of Illinois

A note on the term Search Angel: I have been told by a Search Angel who works with the Search Squad that, if a person assists an adopted person in their search for documents and information and the work is done for free, they are considered a Search Angel. If a person assists an adoptee and charges a fee, this is not considered a Search Angel, but, rather, a for profit investigator or intermediary. Like many terms associated with adoption, I think there is some confusion about the phrase Search Angel. If you are searching, or hope to search, be aware that there are free services available. Search Squad, the sister group to the Facebook page DNA Detectives, is a group of people trained in genetic genealogy who perform searches free of charge. They are vetted prior to being allowed to perform searches, and must complete training and an apprenticeship. 

For my dear friend, Jean. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://theadoptionfilescom.wordpress.com/2021/10/30/adoptee-remembrance-day-2/

I wrote this in memory of my adoptive, adopted little brother, who I miss every day. Like me, he was not told as a child that we were adopted. I miss him every day. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://theadoptionfilescom.wordpress.com/2021/10/29/adoptee-remembrance-day/

TThis was written as a kind of companiion piece to my interview with Andrea Steiner Coates. I hope you will take a moment to listen. Thank you! this episode is also available as a blog post: https://theadoptionfilescom.wordpress.com/2021/10/28/total-strangers/

Welcome to the Adoption Files Podcast! Today my guest is Andrea Steiner Coates. Andrea is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a DNA Search Angel, and a lovely person who is a staunch Adoptee Advocate. Andrea was instrumental in my search for my paternal family. Today we talk about what a search angel is, how they differ from an intermediary, and what kinds of resources exist to assist people in their searches. We also discuss the importance of being prepared for DNA test results, the laws in the state of Michigan that pertain to adoptees, and the need for kindness when an adoptee contacts DNA matches about their family connections. 

Some of the terms:

centimorgan: this is a way to measure and express genetic linkage. It is a measure betwen chromosome markers. Basically, the more centimorgans you share with a genetic match, the closer the relationship

The Green Chart, or The DNA Green Chart: thisis a chart used by many genealogists to determine the likelihood of a certain relatinship. If you google the DNA Green Chart, you should see a chart pop up that lists centimorgan ranges next to likely relationships. 

OBC: original birth certificate

Non-identifying information: information about the persons parents that do not identify them by name or provide information that would allow the adoptee to identify family members. May include parents ages, professions and some medical information. 

Resources for searching:

The Search Squad: a group of volunteers who train to perform DNA based genealogical searches. Their sister group is The DNA Detectives

DNA tests. The most commonly recommmended tests are through Ancestry and 23 and Me. Ancestry has the larger database and has many search functions. 23 and Me has an opt in for medical information that can be very helpful for people seeking answers to medical questions. Other companies include ftdna, gedmatch, myheritagedna. Some sites allow free uploading of dna results to their sites. Some provide some basic search functions for no fee. Most of these services require payment for testing and ongoing access to results and search functions. 

True People Search: this is a free site that can help provide information about people when you are searching. There are other resources such as Newspapers.com and Legacy.com, findagrave, BeenVerified and more. 

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://theadoptionfilescom.wordpress.com/2021/07/25/social-worker-interviews/ Many people are unaware that not all adopted people have access to their original adoption files. As a person adopted from the United Kingdom, I have access. What I found in my files has caused me to have serious questions about adoption practices. This is a quick listen from some of my initial reactions to social worker notes found in my file. Thanks for listening!

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://theadoptionfilescom.wordpress.com/2021/06/22/compelling-evidence/  The requirement that an adopted person present themselves in court in order to convince a stranger that they have a right to something as basic as our medical records is, in my opinion, a violation of our human rights. Too often, adoptees are put through this dehumaninzing experience, only to be denied access. This is a short description of some of the problematic aspects of this topic. The topic will be explored in greater depth in upcoming interviews with other adoptees. Thanks for listening!

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://theadoptionfilescom.wordpress.com/2021/10/21/disclosure-vetoes/  Disclosure vetoes and Redaction clauses are just one more way that our culture fails adopted people. This is a short take on my personal opinion on the topic. Listen to my interviews with Lynn Grubb and Paige L Adams Strickland for more insight into how these laws impact adoptees and our families. Thanks for listening!

Please join me as I interview Paige Strickland, author of Akin to the Truth: a Memoir of Adoption and Identity, and After the Truth, a Memoir. Paige also participated in the anthology The Adoptee Survival Guide, edited by Lynn Grubb. Paige was born and adopted in the state of Ohio. She shares about discovering her right to request her documents via a television program, the benefits of high school research classes, and what it means when your cat screeches. We also discuss the impact of adoptee identity on our children and grandchildren. Thank you for listening!

i had the pleasure of interviewing Lynn Grubb, also known as the Adopted Zgenealogist on Facebook and Instagram. Lynn and I talked about adoption documents and the incredible impact acces to DNA testing has had on adopted's search for our identities. We hope you will join us for the conversation!