Adoptees

Adoptees can update their birth family/adoptive family’s files with personal information and their wish for contact with their birth parents if their birth parents were to contact Catholic Charities. There is no fee for this service.

Adoptees who are at least 18 years old can request that their birth family/adoptive family’s records be reviewed for a signed release. There is a $50 fee for this service.

Adoptees who are at least 18 years old can request non-identifying medical information contained in the record. The fee for this service is $150.

Adoptees who are at least 18 years old can request a non-identifying summary of information from their birth parent’s file. This could include medical information, demographics, education level, physical appearance, etc. The fee for this service is $300.

Adoptees can request a search for their birth parents providing they are at least 21 years old or have their adoptive parent’s permission.

Catholic Charities will make all reasonable efforts to locate the identified individual and will act as an intermediary to determine whether that person is agreeable to contact. The agency will discuss search-related issues and concerns with either party as needed.

If the identified person is agreeable to contact, Catholic Charities will facilitate contact between the two parties. The parties will be responsible for the nature and extent of continued communication.

Catholic Charities may or may not be able to locate birth parent(s) or other relatives. In the event biological family members are located, Catholic Charities may not be able to obtain consent to facilitate contact.

The fee for up to five hours of work on a search is $550.