Hi-
I just posted this same reply to someone else but wanted to make sure you got this information, too. : )

You basically have 2 options for searching in WA State:

1. Search on your own.

2. Hire a Confidential Intermediary (CI).

There are pros and cons to both routes.

If you decide you want to at least try searching on your own before paying someone else to do it, you need to get your "non-identifying information" (non-id). You can get this from the following places:

1. County where the adoption was finalized (usually same county where adoptive parents lived at the time).

2. Adoption agency, if one was involved.

3. DSHS, if they were involved.

You should request non-id from all applicable places.

There's also a free Yahoo group that can help you - just need a free Yahoo email account. Here's the URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/washingtonstateadoptionsearch

Good luck!

-P Johnson