I Am an Adult Adoptee, How Can I Make Contact with my Birth Parents?
California has a Mutual Consent Program that is administered by either the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) or the licensed California public or private adoption agency that handled the adoption.
With the Mutual Consent Program, an adoptee may complete a
Consent for Arranging Contact (AD 902) form and submit it to the CDSS or the licensed California adoption agency that handled the adoption. If the CDSS or the licensed California adoption agency receives a consent form from the adult adoptee (18 years of age or older) and one from their birth parent(s), an email address and/or phone number can be disclosed to both parties so they may contact one another.
The law prohibits the CDSS and licensed California adoption agencies from soliciting consents and providing search services for adoptees or birth parents.
If you do not know which licensed California adoption agency handled your adoption, you may mail your Consent for Arranging Contact form to the CDSS at the address below. We will search our records to determine who maintains your adoption file. If the CDSS maintains your adoption file, we will process your consent form. If a licensed California adoption agency maintains your adoption file, we will return your consent form along with the address of the agency, so that you may mail the form directly to them.
If your adoption was completed on or after January 1, 1984
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) or the licensed California adoption agency that handled the adoption can disclose the name and address of your birth parent(s) if the following conditions are met:
- The birth parent signed a relinquishment or consent for adoption, or the parent's rights were involuntarily terminated by court action on or after January 1, 1984.
- The birth parent signed an Adoptions Information Act Statement (AD 908) form granting permission for such disclosure.
- The adoptee has submitted an Adoptions Information Act Statement (AD 908A) form requesting disclosure of the name and address of the birth parent(s). The adoptee must be 21 years of age or older in order to complete the AD 908A.
If you do not know which licensed California adoption agency handled your adoption, you may mail your Adoptions Information Act Statement form to the CDSS at the address below. We will search our records to determine who maintains your adoption file. If the CDSS maintains your adoption file, we will process your Adoptions Information Act Statement form. If a licensed California adoption agency maintains your adoption file, we will return your Adoptions Information Act Statement form along with the address of the agency, so that you may mail the form directly to them.
California Department of Social Services
Post Permanency Services Unit
744 P Street, M.S. 8-12-521
Sacramento, CA 95814