Are You Adopted: A New Legislation Can Help You Discover Your Medical History
Adoptees have unrestricted access to their birth certificates in the State of New York
Answers for Adoptees
Finally, the state of New York has passed a new state law that allows adoptees over the age of 18 unrestricted access to their sealed, pre-adoption birth certificates.
The law has passed earlier this year on January 15th, making NY the 10th state to pass such legislation.
Adoptees and their offsprings can learn about personal medical history. This information can provide their doctors with more information, aiding in the prevention and treatment of health conditions. Medical history is often a struggle for people who have been adopted.
Having this information can help in the event of a life-threatening situation where a transplant is needed. Knowing about your biological birth parents — and with modern technology — can give you the best chance for a match.
Note: You don’t have to have medical reasons to file for the birth certificate. It’s something that you are now entitled to, whatever your reason for wanting it. You can file for it the same way you would if you needed to order a new birth certificate. You do not need to file a petition, hire a lawyer, or go to court.
Good to know fact — The law extends to the direct line descendants of the adopted if they are deceased. Meaning, you can also file for a pre-adoption birth certificate if you are the direct child, grandchild, or great-grandchild of the adopted person if they have passed away.
Example: My mother was born and adopted in the state of NY. If I had developed a health condition — and my mother had passed — I could file for her pre-adoption birth certificate in hopes of getting answers regarding my medical history, even though I wasn’t adopted.
Disclaimer: My mother is alive, and she recently has filed for her original birth certificate.
How: I’m sharing a link for a page with further information, including the application form for online requests, and where you should go to order in person.
Do you live in another state? Here’s a list of the other states that have passed the same laws.
Alabama, Alaska, New Hampshire, Oregon, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, and Rhode Island.
