How to Find Ohio Adoption Record? (2024) | Genetics Ancestry

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Ohio’s Adoption Record

Ohio adoption record is an official document used as evidence of a legally valid adoption
process. Ohio’s adoption records are closed and exempt from the Public Records Act. Ohio has two
types of adoption records: records that come from the Ohio Department of Health Vital Statistics
(Columbus) and records held by adoption agencies such as the Probate Court or Attorneys.
Ohio adoption records originating from the Ohio Department of Vital Health Statistics (ODH)
were published in 2013 and enacted in 2015. This record is a document of the birth certificate of the
adopted child, as well as the decision to finalize the adoption, which is official permission to be able
to adopt.

Ohio Adoption Records from Probate Courts and Adoption Services are records that contain
non-identifying information, i.e. information other than name, or address, these records are special
codes in the law that contain details regarding how the adoption finalization decision was issued, and
explain when these records can be accessed by the adopted child.

Ohio Department of Vital Health Statistics

Regulations published by the Ohio Department of Vital Health Statistics (ODH) state that “An
adopted person is eighteen years of age or older, then the adopted person may file a request with the
Ohio Department of Vital Health Statistics (ODH) to request a copy of the contents of the adoption
file that may include identifying information about his or her biological parents.”. An 18-year-old
adopted child is eligible to request a copy of the adoption record through the Ohio Department of
Vital Health Statistics (ODH).

Ohio Adoption Records that can be Searched by Name

The same Ohio adoption records that can be searched by name through The registry filing
system was originally based on the Soundex Code (search using names) which was a phonetic coding
method that assigned numerical values to consonants and ignored vowels, except as the first letter.
This system makes it possible to match despite some differences in spelling. It was the perfect
foundation for situations where often people didn’t know the proper spelling. The search for
adoption records through names will usually be done through several ways, namely;

1. Examination of the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the area of adoption by requesting a probate
record and guardianship record.
2. Church records (usually in the Catholic Church), which are baptismal information records or
sacramental records that contain identifying information about members of the biological family.
3. Orphanage records, namely in the census section and voter list, where this list will contain the
identity of the adopted’s parents.

Can We find Ohio Adoption Record Online?

Ohio adoption records are not yet accessible online, this is because the Ohio government
maintains tight security by always changing the government website used for services related to
Ohio adoption documents. The public can access adoption records through letters of filing with the
Probate Court, or adoption services, as well as the Ohio Department of Health Vital Statistics (ODH).
Ohio adoption records are not free of charge because the requirement to request a copy of
the adoption record requires an application letter for official filing permission that requires notary
assistance. This application can also be requested through an adoption agency or the Ohio
Department of Health Vital Statistics (ODH) and will still be subject to payment of administrative
fees, but the money that will be spent is much less when compared to applying through an adoption
agency.

The Ohio Adoption Reunion Registry

The Ohio Adoption Reunion Registry is a non-governmental organization used by the
community to find family members, where each member has the right to write down the identity of
the adopted family member. The identity can be in the form of parents’ names, parental
characteristics, date of birth of the adopted child, place of birth of the adopted child, etc. The
requirement to be able to join this organization is to have a minimum age of 18 years.
Summit country Ohio Adoption uses information contracts that contain important information
stored by the Probate Court Agency, which contains;

1. Age of biological parents and adoptive parents at the time of adoption.
2. Medical and genetic history of biological and adoptive parents.
3. The age, gender, and medical history of siblings at the time of adoption.
4. Inheritance, and ethnic background, education level, general physical appearance, religion,
occupation, and cause of death of biological parents, siblings, and extended family members
when the child is adopted.

Ohio adoption records can also be traced through the date of birth of the adopted child in
several ways, namely as follows;
1. Hospital records, these records usually contain about the child’s biological mother, as well as the
identity of the child born.
2. Legal Probate Court records or adoption agents, the adoption process is usually assisted by a
lawyer who is in charge of being a liaison between the biological parents and adoptive parents,
the lawyer will also usually help with the necessary documents so that they are sure to have
identity data about the adopted child and his biological family.

Conclusion:

In essence, Ohio adoption records are records containing the identities of the adopted child,
adoptive parents, and biological parents. This record is very closed and cannot be accessed online,
due to several factors. These Ohio records are divided into two types: Ohio adoption records from
the Ohio Department of Vital Statistics (ODH) and Ohio adoption records from probate courts and
government-licensed adoption service providers. Adopted children can apply for a copy of adoption
records after the age of eighteen through the Ohio Department of Health Vital Statistics (ODH) or
through the Ohio adoption reunion registry to find out the identity of their biological family.

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