[lisa nevius]

I am a female born 4/30/54. All of my records are sealed so I have little information. My birthmother was in St.Ann's Infant and Maternity home in Washington DC. I was adopted through Catholic Charities when I was about 6 months old. I have been searching for answers since I was 18.Every time I run into a brick wall. I can not give up any hope. There has to be someone out there.If it's my birthmother,birthfather,sister or brother, anyone PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!! 301-474-4268

[kjm69]

Lisa,

I was at St. Ann's Infant and Maternity Home in Hyattsville, MD. in 1969. It is located actually in MD. but very close to Washington DC. My daughter found me 2 years ago. She started with the state of MD. They have a program now that uses CI's and was put into law in Oct of 1999.

She was asked who handled her adoption and she said Catholic Charities. They told her to contact CC in Washington DC which she did. She paid $400 and it took them only 2 weeks to find me! I was contacted by letter through a CC social worker. My idenity was protected and if I did not want to be found they would not have told my daughter.

I hope this helps you, Lisa. You should have no problems since it is now a law that they have to help you--if you pay the money. I believe you will have to fill out some forms etc. My daughter did say that they were slow to respond to her letter. Also, she had to go see a CC social worker in her area to help her understand all the ramifications of reunion.

Also, all the girls were sent to Providence Hospital in Washington, DC to give birth. I actually went there and got a copy of my records of when she was born! I also received a copy of the original birth certificate with my name and hers on it. Catholic Charities sent that to me upon request.

Good Luck you are 2 years younger than me, I was born in 1952!

Janet

[stink]

I was born 3/7/1952 in washington, DC and in residence at St. Annes's in DC til August of 1953 when I was adopted. I assumed
that the adoption was finalized in DC and wrote to the District Court to unseal the records. They have no record of this adoption. My adoptive parents lived in Bethesda, Maryland at that time , so probably the adoption was finalized there. Any suggestions what to do next? Thanks for condideration.

[kjm69]

Hi,
I believe you have to go through the adoption agency that handled your adoption in order to open the records. If you don't know what agency you were adopted through, then start with Catholic Charities in DC or MD. The state of Maryland uses the Confidential Intermediary to do the contacting and the adoption agency handled this. It does cost money!!

Lisa, thread starter, has answered someone on this same question through Search and Reunion, Search by State, Maryland Adoption Records, MD. Birthparents, see page 5. See gives some phone #'s for help also Colleen Buckner gives some good advice at the start of the thread.

Good luck!
Janet