Code of Maryland Regulations
Title 07 - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
Subtitle 02 - SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
Chapter 07.02.13 - Post Adoption Reunion Services
Section 07.02.13.03 - Maryland Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry
Universal Citation: MD Code Reg 07.02.13.03
Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 6, March 22, 2024
A. Registry Registration Requirements.
(1) Registration shall be accepted from:
(a) An adoptee, 21 years old or older; and
(b) An adoptee's birth mother, birth father, and birth siblings who are 21 years old or older.
(2) Completion of the registration process. The registrant shall:
(a) Complete a consent form containing a statement of the individual's consent to be identified to other registrants matched as birth family members;
(b) Complete a registration form giving:
(i) The individual's current name;
(ii) Any previous name or names;
(iii) Current address and telephone numbers;
(iv) Any information known about the individual being sought including name or names, birth name, adoptive name, date and place of birth, and names of adoptive parents;
(v) The name and address of the agency that placed the child for adoption; and
(vi) The name and address of the court that issued the adoption or guardianship decree; and
(c) Pay the fees prescribed by the Director according to the registration fee schedule for the Mutual Consent Registry and Search, Contact, and Reunion Services Programs.
(3) Fees.
(a) The fee shall accompany the consent form.
(b) A fee is not required from any registrant whose income is at or below the national poverty level.
(4) The registrant may provide notification to the Administration of changes in information occurring after the affidavit and registration form are filed.
(5) A registrant may withdraw from the registry at any time by submitting a notarized affidavit to the Administration that contains the registrant's name and a request to be removed from the registry files.
B. Matches.
(1) Upon receipt of a registration form, consent form, and fees the registry shall search its files for potential matching family members.
(2) Before identifying information is released to either registrant, verification that a familial relationship exists shall be obtained from a source that is independent of registry files.
(3) To prevent errors in identifying family members, relationship of the family members shall be verified by a third party before identifying information may be released to the registrants.
(4) The third party may be, but is not limited to:
(a) The agency that placed the child for adoption;
(b) The Bureau of Vital Statistics; or
(c) A court of competent jurisdiction.
(5) A match is made if:
(a) An adoptee and the adoptee's birth mother and birth father register;
(b) Two or more of the birth siblings register; or
(c) An adoptee and only one birth parent of the adoptee register if any of the following conditions exist:
(i) An adoptee and the birth mother register and there is no known birth father;
(ii) The Administration has been notified or received information that the nonregistering birth parent is deceased;
(iii) The birth mother of the adoptee declares that the identity of the birth father is unknown;
(iv) The adoption agency submits from a court of competent jurisdiction in the state of the adoptee's birth or adoption a copy of a judgment that declares that the identity of the natural father is unknown;
(v) The father named in a birth or adoption record has declared the parent-child relationship does not exist;
(vi) At the time of the adoption, notice of the filing of the petition for adoption or guardianship was not given to the nonregistering natural parent of the adoptee and the parent did not participate in the judicial proceedings that terminated the parent-child relationship;
(vii) Notice of the filing of the petition for adoption or guardianship was not given to the nonregistering birth parent; or
(viii) 1 year has elapsed since the registering parent filed the affidavit and the nonregistering birth parent has not filed a notarized affidavit stating the nonregistering parent's refusal to permit the match.
(6) Access to Records.
(a) The administration may inquire into the records of a child placement agency, local department of social services, or court that issued the adoption or guardianship decree.
(b) The court that issued the adoption decree shall order that the Administration have access to the court record on receipt of a petition from the Administration that states review of the record is needed in order to make a match or to provide matching information.
(7) Confidentiality and Record Retention.
(a) The registry shall retain information and documents collected until the date specified by the registrant or 99 years after the registration, whichever occurs first.
(b) If necessary, registry documents and information shall be destroyed in accordance with the State procedure for disposal of confidential information.
(c) Information in the registry may not be disclosed except as otherwise provided in these regulations or pursuant to a court order.
(d) Information on the registry may be used for search, contact, and reunion services if the adoptee or birth parent registers for that Program.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Maryland may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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