What Is WARM (Washington Adoption Reunion Movement)?

WARM, the Washington Adoption Reunion Movement, is a nonprofit organization that has been reuniting families separated by adoption since 1976. It serves adoptees, birth family members, and adoptive families, and it provides information, referral, support, and search services. WARM specializes in Washington state but also cooperates with Superior Courts in a number of other states, and its policies and methods using the Confidential Intermediary system have served as a model for searching in other states and Canadian provinces.

Who WARM serves

WARM's stated purpose is to support people whose lives have been affected by adoption. According to the organization, its services are directed at three groups:

• Adoptees — people who were adopted and want information or contact with birth family.
• Birth family members — parents, siblings, and others separated from a child by adoption.
• Adoptive families — families raising an adopted child who need information, referral, or support.

WARM also describes a broader mission of promoting public awareness of the complexities related to lifelong adoption issues and staying informed on changing law, policy formation, and implementation.

What services WARM provides

The organization lists four main categories of service:

WARM's site includes sections for Search Services, Search Application Information, Blog, Support Groups, Links & Resources, and Suggested Books, so the organization functions as both a direct service provider and a hub of referral material.

How the search process works

WARM uses the Confidential Intermediary system, and its policies and methods in this area have been adopted as a model by searchers in other states and Canadian provinces. A confidential intermediary typically acts as a go-between who can access sealed or restricted records and contact parties without immediately disclosing identifying information to either side.

If you want to start a search through WARM, note how the application process is described on its site:

1. Request the application form by email or by phone to the WARM office. The form is not available to fill out directly on the website.
2. Complete the form and mail it back.
3. WARM then handles the request through its search services.

This matters because the website itself is not a self-service portal — you cannot submit a search request online.

Privacy and how your information is handled

WARM states that personal information is not collected through its website. The application must be requested by email or phone, completed, and mailed back, and no information is obtained through or retained by the website. WARM also states that any personal information submitted in any form is never sold or shared with outside entities for marketing or promotional purposes.

Practical considerations before you contact WARM

• Location matters. WARM specializes in Washington state. If your adoption was finalized elsewhere, its cooperation with Superior Courts in some other states may still be relevant, but you should confirm whether your case falls within its scope.
• Expect an offline process. Because the application is requested and returned by mail, plan for a slower, document-based workflow rather than an online submission.
• Check the support side too. WARM runs support groups and maintains a "Who Needs a Support Group?" section, which may be useful whether or not you pursue a search.
• Verify current details directly. The site references a virtual office and recent posts, so contact the WARM office by email or phone to confirm current procedures, meeting arrangements, and any fees before relying on older information.

WARM's own framing is that it has been "reuniting families since 1976," and its long history and its role in shaping Confidential Intermediary practice in other jurisdictions are the main reasons it is cited as a resource in adoption search and reunion.