Kansas Adoption Information by Aborn

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This letter is in response to your written request for information regarding Kansas's adoption records/search program.

The Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services has assumed the responsibility of archiving all adoption files (except step-parent and adult) since 1936. In 1951, the Vital Statistics law in Kansas changed to allow adult adoptees access to their original birth records upon request. The Kansas legislature gave the adult adoptee the right to the same information that the state has gathered about them. The policy makers have indicated that it is not the states right to protect an adult from even negative information about themselves or their birth family.

Adoptees, upon the age of 18, may receive a copy of their adoption records upon request. Their request must be in writing and must be accompanied by proof of identification.

The state of Kansas does not have a mutual consent registry system. Our agency will, however, initiate a search for an adoptee on behalf of a birth parent or vise versa IF the related adoption was finalized in Kansas.

When an adoptee/birth parent requests a search to be initiated, they must submit their request in writing or complete an appropriate request form. They must also indicate in writing that they are granting permission for our agency to release their identifying information to the person for whom they have requested a search. Upon receiving the request, our staff will attempt to locate the adoptee/birth parent and determine whether or not they are interested in contact. Our agency will then inform the requesting party of the search results. If both parties are interested in contact with one another, our agency will release the proper identifying information to each party. If, upon locating an adoptee/ birth parent, we discover that they are not interested in contact with the person whom requested a search we will relay this information to the requesting party. On occasion, adoptees /birth parents have used our agency as a medical point of contact to exchange letters and pictures without releasing identifying information, in the event they are uncomfortable making direct contact. Most often when this occurs, both parties will eventually choose to make direct contact with one another.

Many adult adoptees, birth parents and adoptive parents receive assistance from this program. In calendar years 1998, Children and Family Services received a total of 646 post adoption requests. Of these, there were 283 request for adoption records, 307 search requests for birth parents/ adult adoptees and 56 miscellaneous requests related to records/search. Approximately 150 searches were successful and of these 100 resulted in contact with a birth family member.

I hope that the information I have provided is helpful to you. If I can provide further assistance, please contact me at the address or phone number listed above.