Ohio

  

In Ohio, individuals adopted prior to 1964 have a right to examine their original birth certificates upon request, UNLESS sometime after 1964, someone requested the "reissuance" of a birth certificate in the adopted name, in which case, the original birth certificate was sealed.

For adoptions occurring after 1964, access to the original birth certificate is available by court order, only.

Birth parents and biological siblings may file an authorization for the release of identifying information with the Department of Health. If such an authorization(s) has (have) been filed, an adult adoptee (age 21) who petitions the probate court will receive the information.

If no releases are contained in the file, the adoptee's request is marked "pending" and will be held until either releases are received, or the biological parent(s) are deceased, 30 days after which the petition for information will be granted.

There is a reunion registry. For information, teleTelephone: (614) 644-5635. 
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. 3107.41. 

Search and Support Groups

Adoption Network Cleveland
Contact: Betsie Norris
291 East 222nd Street, Rm. 229
Cleveland, Ohio 44123
Telephone: (216) 261-1511
Fax (216) 261-1164
www.AdoptionNetwork.org
Betsie@AdoptionNetwork.org

Adoption Network - Lorain Branch
Contact: Deb Bryan
205 West 30th Street, Rm. 14
Lorain, Ohio 44055-1171
Telephone: (440) 244-1060

Reunite (Columbus area)
Contact: Kathy Singer
PO Box 461
Mt. Gilead, Ohio 43338
Telephone: (419) 946-9443

M.O.B.
Contact: Marley E. Greiner
P.O. Box 8043
Columbus, Ohio 43201
Telephone: (614) 261-6296

Sunshine Reunions
Contact: Brenda Lakatos
1032 Bey Road
Akron, Ohio 44312
Telephone: (330) 628-4431

Southeastern Ohio Searchers (S.O.S.)
Contact: Micki Glassburn
109 N. Plains Road, #20
The Plains, Ohio 45780-2001
Telephone: (614) 797-8112

Adoption Awareness Alliance
(Resource referral)
11370 Springfield Pike
Cincinnati, Ohio 45246
Telephone: (513) 771-5353

Full Circle
Contact: Scott DeVaux
10288 Dewhill Lane
Cincinnati, Ohio 45251
Telephone: (513) 851-5607

Chosen Children
Contact: Joanne Gall
311 Springbrook Blvd.
Dayton, Ohio 45405
Telephone: (937) 274-8017

Pieces of Yesterday
(Support group only)
Contact: Berta Yenney
856 Pine Needles Drive
Centerville, Ohio 45458-3329
Telephone: (937) 436-0593

Adoption Channel
Contact: Sheila Updike
2326 West 16th Street
Ashtabula, Ohio 44044
Telephone: (440) 964-2501
Sherlock@interlaced.net
OR adopt@alltel.net

Mum's the Word
Contact: Judy Braddock
381 Bartley Avenue
Mansfield, Ohio 44903
Telephone: (419) 524-0564

American Adoption Congress
(Legislative and advocacy issues)
State Representative: Betsie Norris
c/o Adoption Network Cleveland
291 East 222nd. Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44123
Telephone: (216) 261-1511
Fax (216) 261-1164
Betsie@AdoptionNetwork.org

 

Reunite, Inc. (OH and WV)
P.O. Box 694
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068

Adoption Triad Support Group
980 Main Street
Wellsville, Ohio 43968
Telephone: 330-532-4990
fax: 330-532-2742
e-mail: jmiller@valunet.com

Meeting on the second Tuesday of every month. Meeting time 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Adoptee, birth mothers, biological fathers, adoptive parents and all others of the Triad are welcome.
The Adoption Triad is a very small, but successful search group in the Tri-State area, with over 15 successful searches in the last 6 months alone. Any other support group needing leg work done in this area should feel free to give us a call. We will do what we can to assist.