Providing Adoptive Parents With Information About Adoptees and Their Birth Families - Montana

Date: August 2020

Agency or Person Preparing the Report

Citation: Ann. Code §§ 42-3-101; 42-4-203

Information about birth families shall be provided by a birth parent, the Department of Public Health and Human Services, or an agency. A parent placing a child for adoption shall provide information about the child.

Contents of Report About the Adopted Person

Citation: Ann. Code § 42-4-203

A parent placing a child for adoption shall identify and provide information pertaining to any Indian heritage of the child that would bring the child within the jurisdiction of the Indian Child Welfare Act, 25 U.S.C. § 1901, et seq.

A parent placing a child for adoption shall provide the following:

  • The disclosures of medical and social histories
  • A certified copy of the child's birth certificate or other document certifying the place and date of the child's birth
  • A certified copy of any existing court orders pertaining to custody or visitation of the child

Contents of Report About the Birth Family

Citation: Ann. Code § 42-3-101

In any adoption under this title, a birth parent, the department, or an agency shall provide a prospective adoptive parent with social and medical histories of the birth families, including Tribal affiliation, if applicable.

In a direct parental placement adoption, the birth family's social and medical histories must be completed on a form provided by the department.

When the Report Is Made

Citation: Ann. Code § 42-3-101

The birth family's social and medical histories must be filed with the court when the adoption petition is filed.

Exceptions for Stepparent or Relative Adoptions

Citation: Ann. Code § 42-3-101

The requirement to provide medical and social histories does not apply in an adoption proceeding by a stepparent.

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