Children's Service Society

What is the Connections Program?

Connections is a confidential intermediary program to facilitate the search and reunion process between adoptees and birth parents. Utah law prohibits the disclosure of any names, addresses, etc. to any participant in an adoption without written consent of the other party; and so a confidential intermediary acts as a third party to search for, contact, and ask for this consent when a search is requested. This assures that no identifying information is released without the proper Affidavits of Consent.

A reunion between an adoptee and his/her birthparents is one of the most important events of a person's life. The implications may be far reaching, extending beyond these two to other immediate or extended family members. Searches and reunions may be accompanied by life changes and intense emotions. Therefore, a reunion and sharing of information must be acceptable to both parties. We believe careful consideration should be made prior to the reunion and that mediation during the initial reunion is crucial. In some instances, counseling sessions may be necessary. We recommend that you prepare thoughtfully before you embark on the search and reunion process.

Connections can also help in cases of a health condition that may seriously affect an adoptee or birth family member or their descendants. The confidential intermediary may make contact for the purpose of offering parties non-identifying medical information only. The adoptee need not be an adult for this specific service.

Who may use the services of the Connections program?

• An adult adoptee, who is age 18 or older
• The birth parents, when an adoptee is age 18 or older
• The adoptive parents of an adoptee, or if the adoptive parents are deceased, the adoptee's guardian
• The spouse of a deceased adoptee who is also the legal parent or guardian of at least one child of the adoptee
• Progeny, age 18 or older, of the deceased adoptee
• Parent of the deceased birth parent
• Birth sibling of an adoptee, age 18 or older
• The adoption MUST have taken place through Children's Service Society. We cannot offer this service to those who were not former clients of CSS.

How much does the Connections program cost?

Children's Service Society charges $250 for the Connections service. This non-refundable fee covers the cost of locating the appropriate files, reviewing them and extracting any identifying information that will be helpful in the search. The search itself generally entails research of vital records, Internet resources and other databases, as well as telephone and written inquiries. The fee also includes time for discussion of any questions or issues you might have and mediation should a face-to-face reunion occur. Additional counseling can be offered at a fee of $125 per hour.

How do I get started?

Please download the following applicable information and instructions:

• Adoptee Packet
• Birth Parent Packet

We look forward to assisting you in your post-adoption needs. As we continue to develop services that will assist adopted adults and birth parents, your feedback is appreciated.