Adoption Search Services

Hillside has provided adoption services for many years, and our records containing information related to past adoptions are sealed per New York State Public Health Law 4138-c. Our Adoption Search program can provide non-identifying medical and psychological information following a written, notarized request from an adopted person who is 18 years or older.

In addition, Hillside is a Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry (Public Health Law 4138-d) (MCVAR form), and works with the New York State Adoption Registry to provide non-identifying information related to adoption inquiries submitted by adopted individuals or birth parents. The required adoption registry forms and a $20 adoption record location fee and a $50 report processing fee may be submitted directly to Hillside. If the record cannot be located, the $50 will be refunded.

Hillside adoption records are maintained under the following agency names: Hillside Children’s Center; Northaven Inc. (1967-1976; merged with Hillside Children’s Center in 1976); Rochester Maternal and Adoption Services (1953-1967); Rochester Community Home for Girls (1922-1953); and Door of Hope (1805-1922).

Requests for Adoption Search services are received from birth parents or adopted individuals via telephone inquiry, email, letter or through the NYS Adoption Information Registry in Albany.

In order to obtain identifying information, the adoptee must indicate that he/she is requesting identifying information using the MCVAR form, which can be obtained on the NYS Adoption Registry website. The original MCVAR form and Search Inquiry Non-Identifying/Medical Information form is forwarded to the NYS Adoption Registry. If and when a match to a birth parent is made, Hillside Children’s Center will be notified. Hillside requires notarized signatures of both the adopted individual and the birth parent prior to providing any identifying information.

Hillside provides adopted individuals and birth parents with information that supports an understanding of what the agency is legally able to provide in keeping with New York State law and New York State Adoption Information Registry General Guidelines and Procedures for Authorized Adoption Agencies.

About this Program

• Upon receipt of the MCVAR form, Search Intake form and payment, adoption records are retrieved and an adoption record search is completed.
• The original MCVAR form, Search Intake form and a copy of the completed cover letter and search information are forwarded to the NYS Adoption Information Registry.
• The completed Search document is processed and the following non-identifying information is provided if this information is included in the adoption record:
• Age of birth parents at time of birth of the adoptee
• Heritage, nationality, background, race of birth parents
• Education level of birth parents (number of years of education completed at time of birth of the adoptee)
• General physical appearance of birth parents at time of birth of the adoptee, including height, weight, hair and eye color, skin tone, other physical characteristics
• Religion
• Occupation
• Health history
• Talents, hobbies, and special interests of birth parents
• Circumstances relating to the nature and reasons for placing the child for adoption
• Name of authorized agency involved in the adoption
• The existence of any known biological siblings
• The number, sex and age of biological siblings at the time of the birth of the adoptee

Locations

Rochester Office
1 Mustard Street
Rochester, NY 14609

Contact Information

For details about this or any Hillside program, contact us 24 hours a day at 585-256-7500 or info@hillside.com

This Program Supported by fees for service.