Washington adoptees will be able to obtain original birth certificates in July

Not your usual New Year's Resolution

By Pam Queen

A New Year is an exciting time. We wonder, hope, plan, and wait.

While you consider a resolution to reduce that waistline, 2014 will afford an exciting opportunity for Washington born adoptees.

This July, for $20.00, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) will issue adult adoptees their ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE, otherwise known as the OBC.

Be aware the OBC does NOT give an adoptee access to their adoption file and you will need to read the law for the exceptions. Also, the change in the law does not afford birth parents the opportunity to obtain the adoptee’s amended birth certificate. Take time to review the DOH’s website regarding the change in the law.

Using the DOH website:

1. Navigate to the section on the top of their web page for:
2. Licenses, Permits, and Certificates, then continue to navigate to
3. Birth, Death, Marriage
4. Order Certificates
5. Adoptions
6. See reference to the Law, SHB 1525

While the Washington law is not as broad as Oregon’s or several other states, WARM (Washington Adoption Reunion Movement) expects adoptees will wholeheartedly welcome and embrace the change. Those who are interested in genealogy will now have the ability to start their TREE.

The OBC will be the first piece of paper which totally belongs to an adoptee. It’s YOURS. WARM supports this change in the adoption law and looks forward to assisting adoptees locate family members and fulfill their dream of a reunion, if that is the adoptee’s goal.

I have no doubt many adoptees will just gaze in wonderment at their OBC. Adults who have grown up in their biological families may not understand how momentous this change is for an adoptee. Non-adoptees grow up with family members they look like, share traits. Adoptees have no biological bonding to the adoptive family. This lack of biological bonding does NOT lessen the value and importance of the adoptive family; however, search and reunion enhances an adoptee’s life.

Adoptees searching for their biological families are not looking for another set of parents. The adoptive parents have already fulfilled that role, for better or for worse. We all are aware of the importance of health history. The OBC will now be the first step for some adoptees to gain a foothold toward their genetic and medical history.

Next, consider whether you have realistic expectations of the OBC information. We foresee some adoptees will not have enough information to fulfill their dream of reunion except through the court system. OBCs might show the birth parents having common last names. Birth fathers are not always named on the OBC. Having your OBC will not guarantee an easy search process even for a very experienced confidential intermediary (CI) who has more available resources at their disposal. The experienced CI may be successful but the search could be a longer process. In some instances, the adoptee will have to amend their search process to using the court/intermediary method as available through WARM. Courts only open the records to a qualified intermediary (CI) who will receive more definitive family information. Usually this broader information will result in a faster search process.

If you are fortunate to locate your birth parent(s), we highly recommend using an intermediary (CI) to make the initial contact. WARM has many, many years of experience and tries to tailor the contact call to the needs of the adoptee.

What you can do NOW: adoptees can complete the Dept. of Health (DOH) form to obtain the official cause (file) number and county of adoption. Many adoptees mistakenly think if they were born in one county, their adoption was finalized there. For example, if an adoptee was born in King County, their adoption could have been finalized in Clark, Chelan, or wherever; even out of state.

To locate the correct DOH form to obtain the official Location and Cause (file) #

1. Navigate to the DOH website
2. Licenses, Permits, and Certificates, then continue to navigate to
3. Birth, Death, Marriage
4. Order Certificates
5. Forms
6. Adoptee’s Request for Location and Cause #

Next JULY, to order your OBC, navigate to the Forms page as shown above but SELECT:

• Adoptee’s Request for OBC (Original Birth Certificate)

WARM stands ready to assist adoptees with their OBC and fulfill their needs. We will continue to have experienced intermediaries available to make those all-important contacts if the adoptee chooses reunion.

What you can do NOW: attend a showing of the movie, Philomena, starring Dame Judi Dench. She portrays an Irish birth mother seeking the son she relinquished 50 years ago. Philomena Lee shares her true story.

And …. remember that important date: JULY 1, 2014