Catholic Charities is a non-profit social service agency.

Creating hope for members of all religions.

 

  

              



                   

Summary of New Adoption Law

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Gov. Pat Quinn signed a new Illinois law Friday morning giving adopted persons access to their birth certificates.

“This is a special day…for many families in Illinois, many children in Illinois, this is a really important day in our state’s history,” Quinn said.

As we reported here when the legislation passed both chambers, HB5428 reverses Illinois’ automatic block on access to original birth certificates but gives birth mothers the option to prevent now-adult offspring from seeing the documents.

People adopted before Jan. 1, 1946 will have access to their certificates by written request after Quinn signs the law. Those born after Jan. 1, 1946 must wait until a yearlong information campaign asking birth mothers if the certificates can be released is completed on Dec. 31, 2010.   If an adult adoptee’s birth mother has not filed to prevent the birth certificate from being released by then, he or she can file to receive a copy after Nov. 15, 2011.  

 

For more information on how to register contact the Illinois Adoption Registry:

The Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange (IARMIE) program provides a means by which registrants may authorize or prohibit the release of identifying information, including a copy of the adopted person's original birth certificate, to others involved in their surrender or adoption. Confidential facts may be released to registrants only after at least two specified parties to the adoption have filed explicit mutual consent for the exchange of this information.

 

Vital medical information may be exchanged anonymously by an adopted or surrendered person (a person given up for adoption, but not adopted) or family members if the adopted person is deceased or birth parents and members if the birth parent is deceased through the new Medical Information Exchange. The availability of medical information is dependent on parties to an adoption voluntarily filing and agreeing to exchange these facts.   For more information, please contact the IARMIE at 877-323-5299 (TOLL FREE) or at 217-557-5159 or at http://www.idph.state.il.us/vitalrecords/adoptioninfo.htm