Michigan's Central Adoption Registry

The Central Adoption Registry is a file that is maintained by the Department of Human Services in Lansing, MI. This file contains former parent and adult former sibling statements giving consent or denial to have information about themselves released to an adult adopted person who is searching.

The former family statements are forwarded to the child placing agencies and courts upon request so that they then can make a determination whether identifying information can be released to the adult adopted person or an adult adoptee's direct descendant in those cases where the adopted person is deceased.

The Central Adoption Registry is accessed by the court or agency; individual adopted persons do not contact the Registry. The Registry does not require a fee of the agency or court for checking the file.

Former parents may complete a "Parent's Consent or Denial to Release Information to Adult Adoptee" form, DHS-1919.

An adult sibling may file either the "Adult Former Sibling Statement to Release Information to Adult Adoptee" form DHS-1917 or the "Release of Information to Adult Adoptee by Brother/Sister as Proxy for Deceased Parent" form DHS-1918.

These forms are available by contacting the family division of circuit court, a child placing agency, local Family Independence Agency, the Central Adoption Registry, or by downloading the form from your computer.

You may find the forms at Michigan's DHS website here.