BY KImberly Hopson
L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Brenda Frisard, a retired postmaster from LaPlace, is what one might call a “search angel.”
Thousands of Louisiana adoptees search for information on their parents every year. Some are able to find what they need, but others are not so lucky — it is more than just a matter of searching for children who were adopted through a sealed process. These adoptees must retrieve their original paperwork and hope it contains enough information to find a lead. Because of the Louisiana laws, the process can be long and disheartening. Many need help but do not know where to turn. This is where Frisard comes into play.
“They’re all looking for a search angel — that’s what they call us. We do it for free. I don’t do this for the money. It’s something I do because I’m very passionate about what I believe in,” said Frisard.
The retiree said she has not previously publicized her search angel status because she would “never be able to handle the phone calls or the emails.” Frisard said she does the search itself for free but sometimes has to charge fees to order birth certificates and other important documents.
Frisard began tracking down biological parents when she found out her granddaughter’s father was adopted.
“(My granddaughter) was ill. It wasn’t life-threatening, but it was something we needed medical background on. Well, of course, we couldn’t fill out anything on her father because he didn’t know anything. The doctor expressed concern and said we should try to find out some medical information about her paternal side,” said Frisard.
Frisard already had a background in private investigation — she ran her own investigation company, Exporte Investigations, until 2005. With her help, the granddaughter’s father was reunited with his birth family. So far, she has worked between 300 and 400 cases during her 18 years as a search angel.
Frisard said many birth mothers did not have a choice in giving up their children. Many became pregnant at a young age and had nowhere to turn or faced being abandoned by their families. Some were embarrassed because they were in relationships with the fathers for a short time before they became pregnant, and some were victims of rape. Many birth fathers have no idea that a child was ever born in the relationship they were having. Frisard said they are even harder to find because most mothers never list the name of the father before giving up their child.
She said Louisiana is one of the biggest sealed adoption proponents in the United States. The practice of sealing adoption records began during the late 19th century to protect adoptees and birth parents from the stigma of illegitimate birth, avoiding unnecessary attention. Frisard said this concern was legitimate at the time, but is no longer an issue in this day and age.
“Most of the girls were brought in from other states. It was kind of a drop-off point to say ‘I’m going to send my daughter away. We’ll adopt the baby out and take her back home.’ A lot of those girls didn’t want to give their babies up, but back then the stigma of having a child out of wedlock was taboo,” said Frisard.
Frisard has actively lobbied for the rights of adoptees. This year, she made it to the Senate floor with a proposed bill that would allow adoptees to access their original birth certificates, SB 155. The bill was signed by the governor and was sponsored by Sen. Danny Martiny.
“We made this bill to protect both sides. We covered every base, ” said Frisard.
Those opposed to the bill were concerned that it violated the confidentiality promised to the birth mothers, though Frisard thinks that allowing an adoptee access to their original birth certificate is the adoptee’s civil right, if only for the sake of medical history. As they begin families of their own, Frisard said the need for updated information becomes a priority. Adoptees also run the risk of accidentally marrying into their birth families.
Fisard said no contact information would be given to the adoptee if the birth mother indicated that she would not like to be contacted. The retiree said she respects this agreement because she realizes that some birth mothers may not have told their families about their pregnancies.
Still, statistics from Oregon, Alabama, New Hampshire and Maine, states that recently implemented an original birth certificate access law, overwhelmingly show that the majority of birth mothers do want to find their children eventually — only one out of every 2,000 birth parents requested no contact. Frisard said only 3 percent of birth mothers chose the no contact option in this state.
Though SB 155 failed by just five votes, Frisard said she will try again. She credits the support of the adoption community for being able to get it as far as she did. The retiree plans to take the bill to the Senate again next year. Frisard thinks she may have more success next year if she gathers more participation from actual birth mothers.
For now, Frisard recommends birth mothers and adoptees try using the Louisiana Adoption Reunion Volunary Registry, which Frisard said is a positive step in the process. Frisard also recommends adoptees and birth families contact the American Adoption Congress or the Louisiana Adoption Advisory Board.
Citizens who need help finding information about their own biological parents or are interested in helping with the lobby should contact Frisard at findmychild@cox.net. For more information on LAAB and AAC, vist the organization websites at www.laaboard.org and www.americanadoptioncongress.org.