Do State Run Reunion Registries Work?

I found my Mom earlier this year.

I've been on the State Adoption Information Registry in the hopes of a match since 1993. I've also kept any changes of address and 'waiver of confidentiality' letters with the Registry, the adoption agency and the Court.

I'm distraught to disover that my mother placed a waiver of confidentiality with the agency and registered with the registry in 1996 once she'd discovered for sure that I wasn't actually dead (yes, they told her I died at 3 days old)!

They never matched us and I'm livid.

Also if both the mother and the father were named on the birth certificate, BOTH of them have to register before any information is divulged. How the heck is anyone supposed to know if one of them is deceased or MIA, wtf is that all about?

I know an 83 year old adoptee who is denied her records because both her parents haven't registered!

Do you think Reunion Registries work or not?
Additional Details
ETA. My father wasn't named on the BC, so there is no excuse for the State not matching Mom and I

Romany

Even the New York State Legislature admits they are poorly run. The language of NYS Assembly Bill 8986A (recently passed and signed into law by Gov. Paterson) says a lot about the state run registry. Unfortunately, the Law only applies PROSPECTIVELY, not retroactively.

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JUSTIFICATION:
The Adoption Information Registry was established in 1984 within the Department of Health and provides a mechanism for adoptees and their biological parent(s) to access identifying information through dual consent. Many biological parents, however, are unaware of the existence of the Registry and so their birth children cannot avail themselves of identifying information, medical histories, and information regarding their family history, ethnic and religious heritage. Moreover, it is not inconceivable that a birth parent might die in the intervening years between relinquishing a child and that child coming into maturity and desiring identifying information.
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So if the State of New York understands the shortcomings of its own Registry but is unwilling to rectify the situation for ALL adoptees - well, what more can I say?

Not Adopted

Very few people have been successfully reunited on these state run registries.

There were created as a way to placate those who are seaching, to make it appear reunion is supported.

Lori A

Mine was also in Michigan. I signed up on the registry but her father did not. There was a father name on the birth certificate, but it was not her fathers, I lied. So technically if that were true we would have never been matched either because they never would have accepted her father's real name. We were matched when my father died and his death records listed me as a survivor or off spring. I don't think the registry was ever used to make our match. It was the death records.

Brianna

Most government agencies are lacking greatly. It's one of many reasons i am not pro-government in our daily lives. There are, however, many other types of reunion registries to help families reunite. A friend of mine had her two daughters search on one of them, the one daughter is still under age, but the adoptive father helped both girls place their add. I was the one who accidentally ran across it! They all got together last year and one is now living near to her to get to know her better!

I think reunion registries are great in concept, but once again fail in reality. Private ones are much better!

anastasia beaverhausen-the real1

i absolutely do not think they work.

Santa's Lil' Helper

I am sure they work easier for some. But you must factor in human error. With the agency I think it was willful negligence.
There is no reason that you two were not matched if you both sent letters to waive confidentiality. Sue them...you have a reasonable expectation of reunificationm if you were both in agreement. Grounds for fraud.

ETA:

Gershom...wow did not consider that...interesting.

If the registry is advertised it might work a lot better! But generally they are poorly funded and state/government run by underpaid people with too much work that are legally bound to be quiet.

Serenity71

It does sound ridiculous for them to have to have both bparents register before they give out information.

Even in Aust from what I know they are run differently. But I know from people who have used them the other party has to register and (just one) and they can pass on information. but things like birth certificates shouldn't be managed by the register. Wouldn't births.death,marriages dept be in charge of that?

As for the eighty year old woman having to go through all that just to find something out. I mean common sense would tell the register that there is no way her birthparents could register for her to have access.(I think she should be entitled to receive the information.)

I think they only really work if its more streamlined and each party should at least get things like birth certs on request, and other information relating to identity without that much red tape.

Kashi

I did this registry in Michigan and was reunited with my birthmother. They did not mention anything about both parents needing to register (my father has not). I worked with the agency my parents went thru and they really helped me alot. They even called her first for me telling her what had happened and that I'd be writing her a letter. She has since told me my father's name, but he has not reached me yet. Which is okay. My mother registered her okay to give out her information when I was about 18. I never did my paperwork until I was 30. So, in my case it did definately work.

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