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Openness in Adoption

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GOVERNOR CUOMO VETOES DISCRIMINATORY NEW YORK STATE ADOPTION BILL

The Donaldson Adoption Institute commends Governor Cuomo for his veto of A-05036B/S-04845B. Although deemed “adoptee rights,” these bills were anything but, and discriminated against adopted people by creating a separate and unequal system of checks and permissions for an adopted person to seek their original birth certificate (OBC).

Governor Cuomo’s veto of A-5036B/S-04845B sends a powerful and important message that NY will not stand for discrimination against adopted people. New York has long been considered a leader and this action by the Governor will have a significant positive impact on the wider national movement to restore adoptee rights and equality for adopted people. This veto is in keeping with an abundant research base that supports an adopted person’s unrestricted access to their own birth document, and is also backed by a robust group of adoption reform advocates and experts from across the country and around the world.

There is ample evidence, both research based and through lived experience, that supports allowing adopted people to access their OBC without restriction. Providing adults who were adopted with unrestricted access to their OBC does not threaten the integrity of adoptive families or the institution of adoption; rather it lends itself to healthier outcomes for families. In fact, secrecy in adoption can undermine the integrity of adoption and it can perpetuate shame for all members of the extended family of adoption.

Best practices in adoption today further support the concept of openness, meaning that birth and adoptive families do not remain anonymous to each other as was the outmoded, historical practice in adoption. The practice of adoption has opened based on findings that demonstrate the damage a closed and secretive system has perpetuated.

New York is a powerful state that has established itself as a leader. Governor Cuomo’s veto of this bill sets an important tone of equality for adopted people. Everybody has a birthday and all persons deserve the right to know the truth of their birth and have possession of their unaltered, factual birth certificate.

Thank you, Governor Cuomo, for leading New York State in the right direction when it comes to equality for adopted people. A birthday is important.

The post Openness in Adoption appeared first on Adoption Social Work, New York.


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