An adoption search is like putting a puzzle together. Adoption is probably always going to have the shroud of mystery to it. It would take a book, not a blog to list all of the possible puzzle pieces that you may have already acquired. Trying to put the puzzle pieces together can be frustrating as well as obvious that key pieces are missing.

It is frustrating at times to try and discover the mystery of your own life. Many times I have associated adoption search with Nancy Drew, The Case of the Girl without a Past.

There are laws in each state that already exist in the country protecting people from unwanted contact. These laws are already in place. Open records provides adoptees with information about our own person that non adopted individuals has the right to obtain. Open records would allow us to equal access to that information under the law.

In the past I have used the analogy of HIPPA. Every time we go to the doctors we have to sign a HIPPA form saying that I am aware that my medical records are mine even. HIPPA also provides a provision for the patient to choose who their medical records can be shared with. HIPPA requires that all patients be able to access their own medical records, correct errors or omissions, and be informed of how personal information is shared and used. Now, when this involves the record from our birth, which was prior to the adoption being finalized, don’t these records pertain to us and are ours? So, even though HIPPA does not apply to this it does to all other non adopted persons.

There is NO provision in HIPPA saying that this law refers to all records post adoption, the medical records from adoptees birth are excluded. So, if you are an adoptee searching, and know your birth name, maybe it is worth a try to obtain your medical records under this law. There is a chance that someone from the medical records division of the hospital you were born may say that you can’t have these records because you are adopted. If they deny you access, I would question the person regarding the law and ask for them to point out where medical records prior to your birth are excluded. Adoptees being denied these records would be saying that my medical records are mine just not ALL my records.

The day we were born we became our own person, an individual citizen of the United States to be provided equal rights under the law like everyone else. Why are we so often excluded from these rights.

One of the worst parts of the adoption search puzzle is that you don’t have a picture to look at for guidance. There is no box lid. It is kind of like putting together the sky. The more you stare at the pieces the more they look alike, all blue.