OBTAINING YOUR RECORDS....
it IS possible...
If your case is out of Vigo County; Terre Haute Indiana...
these links and info are for you
Vigo County Clerks Office (in the Courthouse, 2nd Floor) - Call 812-462-3211
ask to speak to the clerk handling adoption / ward of the court case records or visit http://www.vigocounty.org/clerk/ for email addresses and / or other staff contact information.
**Keep in mind that the information that they may have would be limited but they can help direct you further on to your next contact / step.
Vigo Co. Office - Dept. of Family & Children Services (aka Welfare Office) 30 N. 8th St. Terre Haute, IN 47807 812-234-0100
Ask to speak to the person who handles adoption / ward of the court case records.
Glenn Home records are held by the Homes For Children Office at 1308 South 6th Street Terre Haute IN 47802 812-462-3256 Ask for Carol Glass - very helpful and very nice.
Email: cdglass@vigocounty.org.
She can also help direct you further on to your next contact / step.
VITAL STEPS TO TAKE - or you won't get anywhere!!!!
Note: much of the following is adoption record oriented, but the same steps
pertain to getting any youth state records opened.
- Have you registered with the state to get your records opened? Even if you do not know much, that is a MUST DO step...leave the blanks, you can always update it later. See the STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH LOGO BELOW- It's a link to their site. Contact person for Indiana Dept. of health and get registered with the state: Mary Hinds - Email: mhinds@isdh.state.in.us
- If you have done that, have you also checked with the clerks office at the Vigo County Court House?
- Once you have completed registering with the state, inquire with them (IN State Dept. of Health) as to how to go about petitioning the state to have your files opened - and RELEASED TO YOU IN FULL. See the following website for more information on this process. http://www.in.gov/judiciary/admin/pubs/access.html The handbook is an Adobe Acrobat file so if you don't have this program on your computer you will need to download the free program to read the handbook. No big deal and not a 'virus' worry. The link to do so is at the bottom of that page.
The pages in the handbook that focus on this process are pages 5 through 7.
- You also need to make contact with the Department of Family and Children's services here in Terre Haute. You probably also have records there that you are entitled to once you get your records from the state opened. They are all 'joined' in a way, and you have to make sure you do the right steps in the right order or you will get the run-around from each of them. Remember, they are only doing their job according to state laws.
- ADOPTIONS: Register at online registries such as Soundex, Rootsweb.com, Adoption.com, Ancestry.com, ect... Again, stick to the free services. You'd be surprised at what you can get for free if you dig around.
- If your adoption or final placement took place outside of Vigo County / State of Indiana, then that changes things a little - maybe A LOT You will have records obviously in more than one county / state. You'll need to look into the laws of that area. Find adoption registries that pertain to that area and you'll find lots of folks just jumping to help.
It is tough...
and more than likely very, very frustrating...
but don't LET anyone tell you "No" or "It can't be done."
Because IT CAN!!
If you HAVE NOT done #1, then you need to do that immediately. You will not be able to proceed and get anywhere without having done that. Everything hinges there. There are links on my adoption / reunion website which can help guide you through the registration process.
REMEMBER - Searching should not cost you any money. Never pay any money to anyone to 'register'. If they demand money up front, they may well be a fraud. Get credentials and references from other clients (and former clients). Do not make this mistake that so many do.
IF THE RECORD IS NOT YOUR OWN, BUT AN IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER - in addition to the steps above, you would need to provide proof of relationship and the person you are inquiring on would also need to follow the steps above and grant YOU permission to view the records - if the request is granted at all.
If the relative is now deceased, it's my understanding that in place of their registration and permission; that you provide a death certificate (I do not know if it has to be certified - that's a question for the state department) of the individual.
