Free Counseling is available to you virtually or in person. Please call 847-870-8181. We are here to listen.

Information for Adoptees

Information for Adoptees

At Hopeful Beginnings we understand that adoption is a lifelong experience for all members of the adoption triad; birth family, adoptee, and adoptive family. Illinois law requires that identifying information in an adoption must remain confidential unless a mutual consent form is completed by both parties.
Non-Identifying Information

Non-identifying information, such as medical and social details, is available to any adopted person (21 years of age or older), adoptive parents and any adoptee older than 18, with written consent of the adoptive parents. More specifically, medical information includes genetic conditions, including diseases within the birth family, key details of the pregnancy, labor and delivery and subsequent medical details of which Hopeful Beginnings is aware. Social information includes age, ethnicity, marital status, education, occupation and circumstances surrounding the adoption. Hopeful Beginnings is happy to provide this information, if disclosed to us, to you according to Illinois law.

Since adoption regulations and accessibility of information have changed throughout the years, if you would like to talk in more detail with a Hopeful Beginnings counselor, call 847-870-8181.

Mutual Consent

First and foremost, Hopeful Beginnings  recommends for you to register through the Illinois Adoption Registry. Please go directly to the Illinois Adoption Registry’s website for more information. In addition, you may contact the Midwest Adoption Center, which specializes in search and reunions.

After registering with the Illinois Adoption Registry, you can call Hopeful Beginnings at 847-870-8181 if you wish to search for a birth relative. If you were involved in an adoption within the past 10 years, Hopeful Beginnings might be able to help you begin your search. However, for adoptions that occurred more than 10 years ago, Hopeful Beginnings is limited in their ability to search and reunite the adoption triad. To note, the amount of information available in agency records depends on how long the birth parent(s) worked with Hopeful Beginnings, the year in which the adoption occurred and the contact history since the time of the adoption. Please ask for a Hopeful Beginnings counselor when calling the agency.

Please follow the instructions below to help us provide the best possible assistance to you.

Complete the Post Adoption Services Request Form. This form needs to be completed in full if possible. This form will assist us in maintaining the information in your agency file, while providing us with specific contact instructions.

The Information Exchange Authorization Release Form needs to be signed in the presence of a notary public. By completing this form, you are letting St. Mary’s know that you are open to contact with a birth relative. If this is not your intention, it is not necessary to complete or return this form. However, if you choose not to have contact then it is recommended you complete The Denial of Information Disclosure. This form needs to be completed in full and signed in the presence of a notary public.

Please photocopy a driver’s license or other photo identification and mail it with the completed forms that pertain to you to:

St. Mary’s Services
510 N Plum Grove Rd Palatine, IL 60067

The fee for medical/social background information is $100, payable to St. Mary’s Services by either personal or certified check. Fees are subject to change depending on the type of services requested.

We will make every effort to respond to your request as soon as possible, however, the average response time is 4-6 weeks. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have. Remember to keep St. Mary’s aware of any changes in your address or contact information.

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