I'm searching for my birth parents.  I believe that I was born in 1969
along with an identical twin brother and I was adopted in
Massachusetts.  How do I go about finding them?

Hi,

The first thing I'd recommend doing (if you haven't done so already)
is listing yourself on an adoption registry, simply because it might
possibly get you results quickly, and it's usually free or quite
inexpensive. Registries are simply lists of people looking for birth
parents or parents who are looking for their children.

Here's an article on birth registries, how they work and where to find
them:

Adoption Search Series -- Tools
http://adoption.about.com/library/lessons/blregistries.htm

Here's a registry specifically for people born in 1969:

About.com birth Registry
http://adoption.about.com/library/registry/bl1969.htm

And one specifically for people born in Massachusetts:

The Massachusetts Registry
http://members.aol.com/Espaura/MAadopt.html

The registries likely won't do you much good unless either your birth
parents or your sibling are also looking for you.  Assuming that's not
the case, the next thing to do would be to work backwards from
everything you do know. What can your adoptive parents tell you? What
is listed in records that you do have? Even if such investigation
doesn't lead anywhere, you should have it available in case you need
it later.

The next thing you should do is find out which agency you were adopted
through. You can get that information from the Department of Social
Services as listed on the following page:

Tina's Massachusetts Adoption Page
http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill/9606/states/massachusetts.html

Once you find your agency, you can see if it will give you further
information (probably not if your birth parents haven't given
permission).

After that, there are a number of steps you can take, depending on the
resources you have available.  I would suggest getting in touch with
one or more of the many support groups available specifically for
people like you. People in the groups can give you information
specific to your area, letting you know what works and what doesn't. 
You can find a list of such groups on Tina's page listed above.
http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill/9606/states/massachusetts.html#support

Here are some other resources that should be of help:

Massachusetts Adoption Law Overview
http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill/9606/states/massachusetts.html#overview

National Adoption Information Clearinghouse
http://www.calib.com/naic/

Getting Started With Search
http://adoption.about.com/library/cs/startsearch/

How to Prepare to Search for Your Birth Family
http://adoption.about.com/c/ht/00/07/How_Prepare_Search_For0962932406.htm

Search Basics for Beginners
http://adoption.about.com/library/weekly/aa062199.htm

The Definitive Guide to Self-Empowered Adoptee Search
http://www.bastards.org/search/series.html

Massachusetts Law About Adoption
http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/adopt.html

Google search term: massachusetts adoption search
://www.google.com/search?hl=es&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&q=adoption+massachusetts+search

I hope this information gets you off a good start.  Best wishes in
your search!

mvguy

Here is another site that might be helpful:

http://www.reunionregistry.com/