Access Massachusetts
H.2294/S.1440 were heard by the Joint Committee on Public Health on May 10, 2021. The Committee reported favorably, and the bills were referred to the House Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling, and then to the House Committee on Third Reading. H.2294/ - An Act granting equal access to original birth certificates to all persons born in Massachusetts, was passed by the House to be engrossed on Nov. 4, 2021. Now we are awaiting a positive report by the Senate Committee on Rules. We have created a petition which will be delivered to the Senate leadership, the Rules Committee, and each MA Senator to take action on our bills. Please use this link to sign the petition to the MA Senate to pass H.2294/S.1440 as soon as possible. https://forms.gle/C2gm7qZuqQYgqpbV8 Please share widely. We are aiming to collect at least 2000 signatures by April 25.
Resources - learn more
ACCESS MASSACHUSETTS DOCUMENTS:
Access MA Frequently Asked Questions
Letter of Support - Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS and INFORMATION:
Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys http://www.adoptionattorneys.org/aaaa/academy
Adoptee Rights Coalition https://www.adopteerightscoalition.com
ARC How to Order Records by State https://www.adopteerightscoalition.com/how-to-request-records-by-state
American Adoption Congress: www.americanadoptioncongress.org
Concerned United Birthparents: www.cubirthparents.org
Donaldson Adoption Institute: http://adoptioninstitute.org
National Adoption Clearinghouse: http://www.adoption.org/adopt/national-adoption-clearinghouse.php
North American Council on Adoptable Children: http://www.nacac.org/
Child Welfare Information Gateway (overview of state adoption statutes nationwide): http://www.childwelfare.gov/
Child Welfare Information Gateway (OBC access by state) https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/infoaccessap.pdf
International Soundex Reunion Registry http://www.isrr.net
A.L.M.A. (Adoptees Liberty Movement Association): http://www.almasociety.org
STATE ORGANIZATIONS:
Colorado - Adoption Search Resource Connection https://www.asrconline.org
Connecticut - Access Connecticut: http://accessconnecticut.org
Indiana - H.E.A.R. (Hoosiers for Equal Access to Records) http://www.indianahear.org
Maine - Truth in Adoption Maine https://www.facebook.com/pg/Truth-In-Adoption-Maine
Minnesota Coalition for Adoption Reform: http://mnadoptreform.org/
Missouri - missouriadopteerightsmovement.com
New Jersey – CARE: http://nj-care.org
New York – Adopt Equality http://www.nyadoptionequality.org
Unsealed Initiative: http://unsealedinitiative.org
North Carolina – Coalition for Adoption Reform: http://adoptionreform-nc.org/
Ohio - ROAR: https://sites.google.com/site/adoptionequityohio/the-bill-has-passed
Oklahoma Open original birth certificates for all adopted adults - https://www.facebook.com/pg/Oklahoma-Open-original-birth-certificates-for-all-adopted-adults
Pennsylvania - http://www.pennsylvaniaadopteerights.org/p/adoptee-rights.html
Rhode Island - http://www.obcforri.org
Texas - STAR (Support Texas Adoptee Rights) - http://www.texasadopteerights.org
ARTICLES/PUBLICATIONS:
Samuels, Elizabeth J., Surrender and Subordination: Birth Mothers and Adoption Law Reform (2013). 20 Michigan Journal of Gender and Law 33 (2013). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2233400
FOR THE RECORDS: Restoring a Legal Right for Adult Adoptees. Donaldson Adoption Institute. (2007). http://adoptioninstitute.org/old/publications/2007_11_For_Records.pdf
FOR THE RECORDS II: An Examination of the History and Impact Of Adult Adoptee Access to Original Birth Certificates. Donaldson Adoption Institute http://adoptioninstitute.org/old/publications/7_14_2010_ForTheRecordsII.pdf
Let’s Adopt Reform Report: Adoption in America Today, Donaldson Adoption Institute. (2016). http://www.adoptioninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Lets-Adopt-Reform-Report.pdf
Luce, Gregory, THE (SOMETIMES) UGLY POLITICS OF ADOPTEE RIGHTS
http://gregoryluce.com/blog/ugly-politics-adult-adoptees/
FILMS/VIDEOS:
POV: three adoption films: http://pbs.org/pov/adoption/
Jean Strauss Films: http://www.jeanstrauss.com/films/
A Simple Piece of Paper www.asimplepieceofpaper.com
ADOPTED: for the life of me www.adoptedforthelifeofme.com
Vital Records http://vimeo.com/12476393
Four Birthmothers For Mothers https://vimeo.com/channels/adopteefilmchannel/119964199
Why We Are HEAR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2bXynlYLo0&feature=youtu.be
BOOKS:
Ann Fessler: Ann’s bestselling book, The Girls Who Went Away, provided a much-needed window to the experience of women who lost their children through adoption in the middle of the twentieth century. http://www.thegirlswhowentaway.com/
Jean Strauss: "Birthright: A Guide to Search and Reunion", has over 70 stories within its pages - and the majority are of adoptees, birthparents, and adoptive parents and family members from Massachusetts. http://www.jeanstrauss.com/films/birthright-the-guide-to-search-and-reunion/
MUSICIANS:
Darryl McDaniels: DMC – My Adoption Journey, is available on his website.
http://www.me-dmc.com/index.cfm/pk/content/pid/4391
Zara Phillips: author, filmmaker, songwriter and singer English-born Zara Phillips teamed up with Darryl McDaniels for the single “I’m Legit” in 2009. http://www.zarahphillips.com/