Realistically speaking, how many more years do you think it will take until adoptees in all states have?

There is a social worker I know who believes it will never happen in this state. (She believes it may be that adoptions going forward will have open records, but that they will never go back and open old files.) I pray she's wrong.

I think there is much work to be done, yet, I'm afraid. Many people, outside of those directly involved in these issues, get false and misleading information from the NCFA and others (if they get any information at all). Too many people still buy into the lie that privacy rights are at stake, and don't realize the equal rights issues.

None of which is to say that it won't happen, even that it won't happen relatively soon. But I do think there is a lot of work to be done to combat ignorance and misinformation. I think if people really understood the situation, we would have a great deal of support. The challenge then is to explain it to them.

Honestly, unless and until there is a drastic shift in the mindset of the general public about adoption, never. It is simply not a large enough issue. While it is a HUGE issue to me and other people that are part of the adoption triad and those that know and love us, that is an over all small percentage of the voting public. Often when issues like opening records get so far as a vote, they fail to even get the required number of votes to not "die" simply because people just don't care. It's a case of it not hitting close enough to home for people to donate money for campaigns and to take the time to read about the issue or cast a vote or even show up for a rally or sign a petition. Until there is a more focused movement to open the records and give all people in this country the same right and access to their birth records, I don't see it ever happening. Having joined several groups that have promoted themselves as being dedicated to doing just that only to fall apart due to lack of funding, time, interest, etc... I can say it is a long and disheartening battle and I can see where it is a daunting road.

I agree with 2 posters here....Fed govt needs to get involved, and a civil lawsuit brought to the US Supreme Court. Or you just might have to wait til the old legislators who have adopted in years past, to die off. And of course I also agree with the poster who said the Anti-Choice people will fight tooth and nail to keep records closed because of their insane belief that Open Records will cause more abortions.

I would also like to see these Records opened for former surrendering mothers as well. Especially the OBC for me....since that legal document was created while I was still the One and Only Legal Mother of My Own Baby, and still cannot obtain my baby's OBC. I would also like access to all that is contained in agency files, every last one where MY NAME occurs!

But I have found that many former surrendering mothers have no interest in obtaining any of the records from their surrendered child's birth, to include their own medical records and I find that most curious...

I don't know....I wish I did. But to me it seems like there are a lot of people who are against equal rights to OBCs and there would be a lot going into that state by state.

I almost think it would be better if there were a constitutional amendment saying it is unconstitutional for someone to not be able to access their own birth certificate. That way the states HAVE to open records.

Hopefully it will be within the next ten years or so.

I'm hoping for ten years or less at the rate things are being brought to light in the news. I hope Phil's friend is wrong too about not going back and opening up old sealed records. To say that from here on out this will be done but those who have already had their records sealed can't ever have them is wrong wrong wrong.

As long as the NCFA and anti-choice zealots are around, we're hosed.

As Phil stated, new adoptions may someday all be open (as far as obtaining the adoptee's OBC) but I think it is doubtful it will be retroactive.

I'd like to think it would be sometime soon, but with how long its taken to open up records in some places, and how many places are steadfastly holding onto the old, I don't have faith that I will see adoptees having unfettered access to their own records in my lifetime.

In all States? A long long time. You just know that one State or a number of them will hold out for what ever reason so unless your federal govt intervenes in some way it will take a long long time.

State lawmakers understand one thing--money. They'll open records when keeping them closed costs more than opening them. It will take a successful civil rights lawsuit to open records in all states.

All the states?

As long as Utah is a state, oh, maybe 50 years.