Post-Adoption FAQs

The first step of the process is to fill out our Application for Post-Adoption Services. This gives us your updated contact information, a summary of your request, and confirms your identity as the application needs to be signed in front of a notary. If you live near one of our five locations you can call our post-adoption department to arrange to meet with a notary in one of our offices.

Once we receive your application we will contact you within two business days to give you a contract for services and more information about the next steps for the service(s) you are requesting.

If you are not sure what services you are interested in, contact our Post-Adoption Social Worker for more information.

There are fees for some of the post-adoption services provided through New Life Adoptions. However, New Life recognizes the importance of these services for birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees. If you cannot afford a service, we offer financial assistance. Our fees range from $0 to $100 for each service. If you have questions about the fees or to discuss your situation, contact the Post-Adoption Social Worker at 612.746.5670. All phone consultations are free.

Minnesota Statute 259.83 (subd. 5) allows for agencies to charge reasonable fees for post-adoption services. According to New Life’s practice, for all post-adoption services, payment must be received before the service is rendered. New Life charges fees in order to assist in covering costs for the services rendered. Vital services will not be denied. If necessary, contact New Life’s post-adoption department for possible fee reductions based on income and situation.

Mail any correspondence to New Life’s Post-Adoption Social Worker at our main address:

New Life Adoptions

Attn: Post-Adoption

1515 East 66th Street
Richfield, MN 55423

Please include a note with your name, the child’s name at birth, and the child’s date of birth to help us match it with the correct file. Put the letter in an unsealed, blank envelope with the correct postage to pass the correspondence along. We will make a copy of the letter and any photos to keep on file.

If the adoptive family or adopted adult has an updated address on file we can then forward the correspondence to the receiving party. If there has not been recent contact, we may choose to reach out to the receiving party to confirm they would like to receive the correspondence before sending it on.

If we do not have an updated address on file, the correspondence will be placed in the child’s file until the adoptive family or adopted adult reaches out to request this information.

Mail any correspondence to New Life’s Post-Adoption Social Worker at our main address:

New Life Adoptions

Attn: Post-Adoption

1515 East 66th Street

Richfield, MN 55423

Please include a note with your name, the child’s name, and the child’s date of birth to help us match it with the correct file. Put the letter in an unsealed, blank envelope with the correct postage to pass the correspondence along. We will make a copy of the letter and any photos to keep on file.

If the birth parent has an updated address on file we can then forward the correspondence. If there has not been recent contact, we may choose to reach out to the receiving party to confirm they would like to receive the correspondence before sending it on.

If we do not have an updated address on file, the correspondence will be placed in the birth parent’s file until they reach out to request this information.

Adopted adults or parents of a minor who has been adopted can request information from the child’s file, and birth parents can request information from their own file.

A copy of the birth parent’s social and medical history, original correspondence that has been stored in the file, or copies of past correspondence can be requested from a child’s file by an adopted adult or the parents of a minor who has been adopted. New Life cannot release an Original Birth Record from a child’s file. If you need a copy of this you will need to request it from the Minnesota Department of Health.

Birth parents can request information from their own file such as a copy of the adoption paperwork that they signed at the time of placement, original correspondence that has been stored in the file, or copies of past correspondence.

The amount and type of medical information in a child’s file largely depends on the time frame when the placement happened. In older placements there may be limited information in the file, while more recent placements may have more information available. The medical information on file is often a self-reported Social and Medical History packet completed by the birth parent(s) at the time of placement. This information is given to the adoptive parents at the time the adoption takes place, but an additional copy can be requested later if this has been lost or damaged.

If New Life ever receives updated medical information from a birth parent, we are required by law to attempt to pass on this information to the adopted adult or parent(s) of a minor who has been adopted. If we do not have your updated contact information or do not receive a response from our attempts to contact you about updated medical information, the information will be stored in the child’s file until you make contact with us.

If you would like updated medical information from your (your child’s) birth parents, you can submit this request to New Life and we will contact them on your behalf to request this information.

An adopted person 18 or older can request a copy of their Original Birth Record from the Minnesota Department of Health. New Life Adoptions cannot release an Original Birth Record.

• https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/adoption.html (information)
• https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/docs/adpncbsrch2024.pdf (form)

Many adopted adults opt to use DNA testing to learn more about their genetic history. Some DNA tests can provide information on racial heritage, genetic or health information, or connections to people related by DNA. Different DNA tests can provide different information, so be sure to research each DNA testing services before choosing one to make sure it provides the information you are looking for. Some people choose to use multiple DNA testing services to access a larger variety of information.

If you are interested in genetic or health information through DNA testing, but don’t want others to have access to you or your child through the relative connections given through most DNA testing services, you may want to consider a DNA test through your doctor’s office. Most doctors’ offices can offer DNA testing purely for health information and typically insurance will cover this cost.

It is becoming more common for adopted adults to choose DNA testing to learn more about their birth history. Through this process, some who have been adopted become connected with members of their birth family. In situations like this you want to be mindful that some birth parents may not have told their family about the adoption, some do not want to be found, and some are not open to contact. Also, there have been situations where people have been falsely reconnected. We recommend using New Life’s post-adoption search services to confidentially reach out to your birth family to give them the support and room to process before deciding whether or not to move forward with reconnecting.

It is important to think through what you want to get out of DNA testing before you start the process. It can quickly get out of hand if you are not prepared ahead of time. There are many webinars available on DNA testing and adoption which explain the process and things to consider. Please contact our post-adoption department for more information about webinars that are available.

Any party of an adoption can initiate a search for another party. In a search, New Life will reach out confidentially to the other party to explain the request and allow the receiving party time to decide if and how they would like to proceed. If you are considering a search for your birth parent(s) or birth child, please remember that they may not be open to contact at this time. Be prepared for any outcome before starting the search. Call our Post-Adoption Social Worker to further discuss what a search may look like.

Deciding to search for your birth parent(s) or birth child can be a big decision. If you are feeling overwhelmed at all of the “what ifs” of a search you are not alone. Here are a few things to think about before starting a search.

What kind of information or relationship do you hope to get from a search? What are your expectations for the process (steps, length, outcome, etc.)? How will you react if a search does not have the result you hope for? Have you discussed your reasons for wanting to start a search with your family members or friends?

It is important to know what you expect the process to look like and make note of the possible areas that might not go as planned. Every search is different, so even if you know someone who has gone through this process before, your situation will likely be different. One of the most difficult parts of a search is when things don’t go the way you planned. Talking to your family members or friends about what you expect from this process and your hopes for a possible relationship with your birth parent(s) or birth child can help you identify areas you may need to adjust your expectations. This will also keep those close to you in the loop so they can support you along the way.

At the start of a search no one knows how the process will go or what the result will be. While some searches are quick and end in a reunion between birth parent(s) and birth child, others may take many months, or even years with no response. There is no guarantee that the party you are searching for will respond or will be open to contact. You need to think through each of these options and be prepared for any outcome.

How might you feel if there is a response sooner than you expected? What happens if the other party is not open to contact? If there is no response from the search, what will your next steps be? How would you feel if you got to that point?

In some situations, the answer is yes. Whether or not New Life Adoptions can search for a birth father depends on what information we have on file, his role in and knowledge of the adoption, and occasionally there are other factors. Sometimes a birth father has not been named or was not aware of the adoption. In these situations, we cannot search for him. Other times, we may need the birth mother’s consent before moving forward with contacting the birth father. If she does not consent, or we cannot get ahold of her we cannot start a search unless we have a court order allowing us to do so.

We encourage anyone who is considering a search to talk about this with trusted family members or friends. It is important to have others who are aware and supportive of a search before, during, and after the process. You will likely have a roller-coaster of feelings at each stage of the process and it is helpful to talk through these emotions with someone you trust. Our post-adoption department is here to help support you through each step of the process, but we should not be your only support. Your family and friends know you well and can help provide support in ways that we can’t.

For many people, a search can bring up a wide array of emotions and reactions. Most people experience emotions such as fear, worry, obsession, anger, guilt, or excitement during the process. These emotions can change quickly no matter how prepared you feel before starting a search. It is normal to have mixed feelings as you go through this process. No matter what your feelings are, share them with our post-adoption department throughout the search process. It is helpful for us to know how you feel to best support you.