Search and Reunion

Step 1: Complete the Application for Disclosure, have it notarized, and mail it to the Virginia Department of Social Services Adoption Unit, 801 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219. There is a different application for everyone depending upon your relationship to the adoptee.

Adoptee Application for Disclosure
Download Form

Adoptive Parent Application for Disclosure
Download Form

Birth Parent Application for Disclosure
Download Form

Adult Birth Sibling Application for Disclosure
Download Form

Step 2: Following receipt of your application, the Virginia Department of Social Services Adoption Unit will assign the agency who facilitated your adoption to conduct the search. If you were adopted through CHSVA, we will receive your case assignment.

Step 3: CHSVA will contact you when we receive the case assignment (also known as the Letter of Appointment) from the Adoption Unit. You must then complete our Search and Reunion Fee Agreement and send the completed form, along with a check for the required fee to our office. Once we have received this information, a CHSVA social worker will contact you to begin your search.

Full search and reunion when there hasn’t been any contact between the families since the adoption finalization. Download Form

Reunion when non-identifying contact between the birth and adoptive family has been occurring over the years Download Form

What Happens Next?

  • A CHSVA social worker will speak with you regarding your search, and what has brought you to this courageous point.
  • The CHSVA social worker will review the adoption file to find the identifying pieces of information to help locate where your family is today.
  • If the CHSVA social worker is able to locate your family, she will discuss their openness to contact with you, and discuss their options. The social worker will offer the opportunity to update their medical information, exchange non-identifying letters, or make direct contact with you.
  • If the contacted party refuses contact, the social worker must honor this wish. The CHSVA social worker will try her best to obtain any information that would assist the in learning more about this person or their decision not to have contact.
  • If the party agrees to have contact, the CHSVA social worker will facilitate the exchange of non-identifying letters.
  • If and when both parties agree they would like to have direct contact, the CHS social worker will send a report to the Adoption Unit with a recommendation to grant the Application for Disclosure.
  • The CHSVA social worker must wait for written permission from the Adoption Unit before releasing the identifying information.
  • When written permission is received, the CHSVA social worker will help facilitate the reunion.

If you have questions or would like additional information please contact Kristy Frick at [email protected] or 703-200-6813.