Adoptee looking for birthmother wants access to OBC in Minnesota

Minnesota woman looking for birth mother wants access to birth c - KMSP-TV

By Trace Hentz



I was born in Minnesota and handled by Catholic Charities.

This story was me at age 22.

I bypassed the archaic laws and found a kind judge in Wisconsin who let me read my sealed adoption file. I could not keep copies of anything, of course. So I looked at the papers with young eyes, not even knowing what I was reading. I kept those notes and memorized them. Those two pieces of paper went with me when I moved. I still have them. (The pencil notes have faded now.)

I found my mother first, but it took YEARS to find her and ask her who was my dad.

So I have to ask Minnesota why would you not release my original birth certificate to me now? Why would you refuse me when I have met my birthfather who has since passed? And my birthmom Helen has passed too!

What gives Minnesota the right to refuse adoptees our own documents of identity?

Minnesota was one of the traffickers of babies, using the Indian Adoption Projects, as I wrote in the books Two Worlds and Called Home. They have plenty to hide, which is probably why they have not unsealed their adoption files.

Minnesota's adoptee access bill

-99.5% of MN-born adult adoptees would be able to receive their original birth certificates by request from Minnesota Department of Health Vital Records.

-The remaining .5% of adoptees who have an affidavit of non-disclosure attached to their birth certificate would have an appeal process through the court.

-Birthparents will continue to have the option of filing a non-disclosure. (Only 1 non-disclosure was filed during 2010-2014.)

-Birthparents will be able to state their preference for contact (“Yes, I would like contact”, “No, I do not want contact”, or “Yes I want contact, but through an intermediary.” This contact preference option has been added to many states that have recently passed access legislation and helps
the adoptee know if reconnection is desired and includes a birthparent’s contact information.)

For more information on the bill go to http://mnadoptreform.org/

Current Minnesota statutes: Access to original birth record informatio