Friends of “clean” adoption reform,

We hope all are well and staying safe as Autumn continues. We were very glad yesterday (11/18) to receive updated information while meeting with the New York State Department of Health on the status of pre-adoption birth certificate applications! This includes updated data for the NYS Adoption Information Registry. We were glad to be joined by allied New York Adoptee Rights Coalition for the call. We hope to share further updates for New York City DOH applications soon. Read on for details!

NEW YORK CITY DOH (adoptions within the five boroughs):

Our latest update from 8/19/20 is here (link also below)

https://www.change.org/p/enact-clean-ny-law-of-adoptee-rights/u/27554037

Some of the new information below, from NYS DOH, applies to applications pertaining to adoptions that took place within New York City. Read on!

NEW YORK STATE DOH (adoptions outside the five boroughs):

Again, find the NYS DOH updated details here (link also below)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YO5_1YohQUVCeBOYZbajVgTxOYVBVEj1/view

Added notes (11/18/20):

• As of 11/13/20: 10,648 applications had been received by the NYS DOH, with 9,327 processed!  
• On November 14th, we celebrated the one year anniversary of Governor Cuomo signing our bill into law!  The law went into effect on January 15th of this year. 
• June / July applications: To be completed soon
• August applications: Will begin to be processed soon (361 noted)
• September applications: When begun, processing time may shorten
• VitalChek: Still the quickest method for applying for original / pre-adoption birth certificates 
• Direct line descendants:
  • Applications may take added time to process.
  • Fun fact: some applications received by the NYS DOH date to the late 1800s and early 1900s!
• NYS Adoption Information Registry:
  • If you have moved, please be sure to update your address, with the registry, to assist ongoing efforts to make a match.
  • Registration assists the NYS DOH in advising of “authorized agents” to assist applicants born outside of New York State in receiving identifying information that would have appeared on the original, pre-adoption birth record.
• Born outside New York, but adopted within New York:
  • You can choose to apply to NYS DOH if you were adopted either within the five boroughs or outside the five boroughs.
  • As noted above, registration with the NYS Adoption Information Registry assists the NYS DOH in advising of “authorized agents” to assist applicants born outside of New York State in receiving identifying information that would have appeared on the original, pre-adoption birth record.
• New York adoptees born outside the United States:
  • It is best to call VitalChek, via phone, to receive assistance in processing your application. A paper application is also an option.
• New York adoptees living outside the United States:
  • As notarized item(s) are needed to process your application; it is best to call VitalChek, via phone, and confirm steps to submit a paper application.

Contact Tim with outreach updates, questions or news you’d like to share! tmw713@gmail.com

Adoptee rights are human rights!

Adoptee rights are civil rights!

Adoptee rights are New York rights!

Tim