Peter M. Carucci
Bureau of Production Systems Management
Vital Records Section
New York State Department of Health
P.O. Box 2602Albany, NY 12220-2602
(518) 474-5245FAX
(518) 474-9168
E-mail: pmc02@health.state.ny.us

Mr. Carucci,

As you probably have realized you have made many an American and New York born adoptees angry today. I’m not an adoptee, but mother to one, so you can count me in, too.

As Director of NYS Adoption Registry, I honestly would think that you would have a better understanding of the issues pertaining to adoption and most especially have some sensitivity to the trials of the adopted person. I find it hard to imagine, that you would stereotype people because they were, without any choice on their part, born into a situation that caused them to be adopted. Yet, it seems that someone along the way you have found that adoptees might be more likely to pose a threat to this nation’s security then other non adopted people?

I am curious why adopted people cannot have two birth certificates when it’s OK for other people to have two different versions of their birth certificates.

After all New York State will change both name and sex on a birth certificate, and will issue a new birth certificate in cases where a transgender person changes their sex and would like their legal identity to match their physical self. When they are issues a new birth certificate with their new name and new sex, do you make sure that all previous copies of their original birth certificates are hunted down and destroyed? Do we seal up their original birth certificates with the “wrong” sex on it so that no one will ever know the truth? Do we worry about the national security risk of these transgender folks (not that I have ANYTHING against them at all) running about with two birth certificates and two names?

I didn’t think so.

Adoptees in NY State are currently denied their civil rights to their birth certificates NOT because having two birth certificates is a National security risk, but because of an old, antiquated and corruption driven law signed by then Governor Herbert H. Lehman in 1936. If you are truly as knowledgeable about adoption in New York State, then you will also know that the Governors’ children were adopted though the infamous baby broker Georgia Tann and there is a very good chance that the records were sealed in NY at her bidding as part of a quid pro quo deal.

You, of all people, should know how the current NYS passive adoption registry is failing terribly on matching up birthparents and adoptees that have both followed the instructions and signed up for the registry.

In New York, more than 18,000 adoptees, birth parents and siblings have registered since December of 1983, but the “success” rate is fewer than four percent! In fact, down in Philadelphia, at the Adoptee Rights Demonstration, I was with a mother and daughter from NY who were both on the registry for over 10 years and had never been matched. While I understand the NY registry is underfunded and understaffed, even you, as the director, should be able to admit it is a complete and utter failure.

It’s time New York legislation did something to redeem itself for the recent sad and utterly ridiculous inability to get anything done.

Bill A8410 and S5269; The Bill of Adoptee Rights, which has a insane number of supports both in NY, of NY citizens and of legislative members needs to be passed already instead of sitting idle in the marbled halls of Albany while our NY adoptees are denied their medical information, insurance coverage for life saving genetic testing, and their original identity.

THAT is why New York adoptees cannot have their original birth certificates. And if you honestly think that adoptees pose a bigger threat to national security than the rest of the NY population, then Sir, I beg you to step down as director of the registry. Our adoptees, who have been denied so much already and do not need to suffer further abuse.

Sincerely,

Claudia Corrigan D’Arcy
www.musingsofthelame.com

NY mother of an Adoptee
AKA: Birthmother NEVER asked for nor was promised confidentiality

http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/vr/vitalf1.shtml for comments!