Background History Request for Birth Parents
Fee: $80.00
Many birth parents did not receive information about their child’s birth or the family with whom their child was placed. You may receive actual copies of any documents you signed, copies of medical records in the file related to your child’s delivery and non-identifying information about the adoptive parents.
Information pertaining to the adoptive parents is often limited to their ages, physical descriptions, religions, education levels, occupation, length of marriage and whether or not they had other children when your child was placed with them. All information was obtained at the time the adoptive parents applied to Buckner, and only rarely do files contain any updated information. Sometimes the files do contain notes from the supervision period (the six months following the placement of your child in their home). Any non-identifying information contained in the file and any information on contacts made by your child or the adoptive parents would be part of this background history. Upon receipt of the Background History Request Form, two forms of identification, and the $70.00 fee, the file will be retrieved from storage. A counselor will then make copies of documents you signed and any medical records available. Information regarding your child’s stay in foster care (if applicable) and information on the adoptive parents will be presented in a typewritten format.
Records are prepared in the order requests are received. Please allow at least two to three months from the time of your request to the receipt of your file.
Buckner Mutual Consent Adoption Registry (When you want to be available for contact)
Fees: Filing & Post Adoption Conference Fee: $90.00
A registry is a system set up and maintained to provide a means for biological relatives separated by adoption to have contact with one another. State governments, adoption agencies or search and support groups may run registries. Most registries are open to consenting adults, and require both parties to mutually and independently register before a "match" can be made.
The Buckner Mutual Consent Adoption Registry
(not a part of the Texas State Registry) has the following requirements for participation:
a) Completion and notarization of the one-page form entitled BUCKNER MUTUAL CONSENT ADOPTION REGISTRY. This may be done with a notary at Buckner, or elsewhere.
b) Submitting copies of two forms of identification, one of which must be photo identification. Examples of acceptable documents are: valid driver’s license, student identification card, employment identification card, birth certificate, social security card, health insurance card, or voter’s registration. (No copies of credit cards, please).
c) A one-hour post-adoption conference. While it is preferable to arrange an in-person conference through Buckner, we can arrange a phone conference if you live a great distance away. Payment would need to be received prior to scheduling a time for a phone conference.
Should you prefer to obtain the one-hour post adoption conference in your area, we can assist in finding a qualified counselor. We would need to send the counselor our requirements for areas covered in the conference, and then receive written verification of the one-hour conference. {Please do not make an appointment with the counselor prior to receiving acceptance of the counselor’s qualifications from Buckner and having Buckner send them an informational packet.} Buckner requires the post-adoption conference at the time of registration for compliance with our policies related to the Buckner Mutual Consent Adoption Registry. It is also required by Texas State law prior to the release of any identifying information once a match is made. (This conference meets the requirement to initiate an active search through Buckner). We believe that this conference provides the participant with an opportunity to ask questions and receive answers about the registry, as well as various aspects of search, reunion and other post-adoption issues. Participants have the chance to explore emotions, expectations, experiences and possible outcomes of contact. Participants gain knowledge of themselves, a perspective of adoption from the other triad members’ points of view and are better prepared to meet the challenges and demands that contact with birth relatives entails.
d) Receipt of appropriate fees and verifications. $90.00 for conference through Buckner, or $15.00 filing fee and the Verification of Post-Adoption Conference form if the conference is done elsewhere.
The Buckner Mutual Consent Adoption Registry is strictly passive in nature. Buckner makes no attempt to seek out either party, nor does it release any information (prior to registration) as to whether one or the other party is registered.
When a match occurs, both parties are notified that there has been a mutual registration. The Buckner counselor will ask each party whether they are interested in pursuing contact. If both parties are interested, the Buckner counselor will outline options available. Before any identifying information can be given, both parties must sign under oath a waiver of confidentiality, in which they state their intention to give up the confidentiality provided under Texas state law.
Active Search
Fee: $375.00 *
You may request that Buckner Adoption and Maternity Services (Buckner) facilitate an active search for your birth child at any time after he or she turns 18 years of age. Prior to facilitating a search, Buckner would require:
• One-hour post adoption conference
• Signed Waiver of Confidentiality& Release of Liability (signed AFTER counseling and before contacting your birth child)
• Completed birth parent update and non-identifying letter for your birth child.
*Most searches can be completed for the $375.00 fee. The fee covers the cost of actual record searches, private investigator’s fees, and retrieval of public documents, such as marriage records, birth & death records, etc. The worker’s time (which would include time spent on letters, record requests, telephone contacts with the searcher as well as outside contacts) is billed against the fee at a cost of $65.00 per hour. Should the fee of $375.00 be used up before a search is completed, the Buckner worker would contact the searching party to determine if they wish to pursue the search any further. Any continuance of the search would require a deposit of $100.00, against which services could be drawn.
Determination of Search:
Once contact has been made with the found party, the Buckner counselor will apprise the found party of the following options available to them:
a)
A direct exchange of identifying information by both parties, so that direct communication can occur. (This would require that the found party be willing to participate in the hour post-adoption conference and sign a waiver of confidentiality, as was required of the searcher)
b)
Exchanges of non-identifying correspondence through Buckner for those who are not ready for direct communication. The Exchange Guidelines for Confidential Adoptions would need to be utilized and the cost incurred would be drawn from the searcher’s fees.
For the found party who may not want contact, we will attempt to determine why they feel contact is not possible at this time. We will also ask if they would be willing to complete an update with medical information and perhaps write the searching party a letter with an explanation as to why contact is not possible at this time. Buckner will make every attempt to facilitate contact of one form or another between parties. In the instances when life circumstances prohibit the found party from participating in correspondence or a relationship, Buckner must respect the found party’s decision. No identifying information obtained in the search can be released to the searching party.
Termination of Search:
• A search will be terminated when:
• A contact has been made and determination completed, or
• The original $375.00 fee has been used and the searching individual does not wish to apply additional funds towards continuing the search, or
There are no additional avenues that Buckner can legally pursue in search of the party.
Post-adoption Counseling
Fee: $75.00 per hour
Buckner provides time limited counseling related to search, reunion and adoption issues. This would be available to a birth parent, or any member of the birth parent's family. Birth parents often seek counseling related to telling other children about the relinquished child, or how to work through the delayed grief they may be experiencing over the placement of a child.
Affidavit of Single Document Copy
Fee: $10.00
Sometimes you may only want a single document copy (such as the relinquishment you signed or the labor & delivery information sheet on your child). Occasionally birth parents need an affidavit related to the relinquishment of their child (for admissions into the armed services, to leave something to a child in a will, etc.)
Updates
form enclosed with this information)
Fee: $20.00 (covers attempt to locate adult adoptee or adoptive parents of a minor child through Texas Motor Vehicle records and last know address and pass on the update to them should they desire it).
You may want to update your birth child’s file with current medical and social information. Buckner provides a form for this purpose (Birth Parent Update). All information on the form is optional and you may indicate whether you wish to release only medical information or social information as well.
Print out and return the following forms: (.pdf)
• Services for Birthfamilies
• Service request-Birth Parent
• Updated History of Birthmother's Family
• Birth Parent Registry
• Birthfather's Medical History
Please make checks payable to Buckner Adoption and Maternity. Return the forms on the following links, necessary for the services you are requesting, your verification of identity and your payment to:
Carol L. Demuth
Buckner Adoption and Maternity Services
5200 S. Buckner Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75227
