Georgia: Access to OBCs and Non-ID
GEORGIA
DENIES UNRESTRICTED ACCESS TO OBC (Court order required)
Who May Access Information
Citation: Ann. Code § 19-8-23
Information may be accessed by:
•The adult adopted person
•The birth parents
•Adult birth siblings
•The child of the adopted person, if the adopted person is deceased
•The adoptive parents
The adoptive parents may access only non-identifying information.
Access to Original Birth Certificate
Citation: Ann. Code § 31-10-14
The original birth certificate is accessible only by order of the court or as provided by statute.
Access to Non-identifying Information
Citation: Ann. Code § 19-8-23
When certain information would assist in the provision of medical care, a medical emergency, or medical diagnosis or treatment, a party to the adoption; child; legal guardian; health-care agent of an adopted person; or a provider of medical services to a party to the adoption, child, legal guardian, or health-care agent may request that the department or child-placing agency access its own records on finalized adoptions for the purpose of adding subsequently obtained medical information or releasing non-identifying medical and health history information contained in its records pertaining to an adopted person, the biological parents, or relatives of the biological parents of the adopted person.
When the State Adoption Unit of the Division of Family and Children Services or a child-placing agency receives documented medical information relevant to an adopted person, the office or child-placing agency shall use reasonable efforts to contact the adoptive parents of the adopted person if the adopted person is younger than age 18, or the adopted person if he or she is age 18 or older, and provide the documented medical information to the adoptive parents or the adopted person.
Upon the written request of an adopted person age 18 or older or an adoptive parent on behalf of an adopted person, non-identifying information shall be released regarding the birth parents and the adopted person’s birth, including the date and place of the adopted person’s birth and the genetic, social, and health history of the birth parents.
Mutual Access to Identifying Information
Citation: Ann. Code § 19-8-23
Upon written request of an adopted person age 21 or older, the name of the birth parents shall be released if the birth parent has submitted an un-revoked written consent. If a birth parent has not filed an un-revoked written consent, the department shall, within 6 months of receipt of the written request, make a diligent effort to notify each birth parent, by personal and confidential contact, that a request for information has been made. The birth parent may then file an affidavit consenting or objecting to disclosure.
The adopted person also may petition the court to seek the release of information. The court shall grant the petition if it finds that failure to release the identity of each parent would have an adverse impact upon the physical, mental, or emotional health of the adopted person.
Birth parents and adult birth siblings also may access information about an adopted person using the same procedure. If the adopted person is deceased and leaves a child, such child, upon reaching age 21, may seek the name and other identifying information concerning his or her grandparents in the same manner as the deceased adopted person and subject to the same procedures.
The Office of Adoptions within the department shall maintain a registry for the recording of requests by adopted persons for the name of any birth parent, the written consent or the written objections of any birth parent to the release of that parent’s identity to an adopted person, and for non-identifying information regarding any birth parent.
Where the Information Can Be Located
Georgia Adoption Reunion Registry