Senator Darby Hills Advances ‘Healing Through History Act’ to Close Foster Care Records Gap and Support Adoptive Families

State Senator Darby Hills (R-Barrington Hills), the Senate Minority Spokesperson for the Child Welfare Committee, is advancing legislation to address a gap in Illinois law that can prevent adoptive families from accessing important parts of a child's foster care history.

Senate Bill 2895, known as the Healing Through History Act, ensures that children and parents in the adoption process receive access to the child's foster care records.

"As a mom and as a former county prosecutor, I cannot imagine telling a child I don't know the details of their early life because the system will not allow me to access them," Hills said. "Right now, under Illinois law, families and former foster youth can face unnecessary barriers when trying to obtain their own records. The information already exists. This bill ensures children and families can access their story while still protecting the privacy of foster families."

The Healing Through History Act was introduced after Senator Darby Hills heard from a constituent who experienced these barriers firsthand. Melissa Khamkhounnavong adopted her three children from foster care with the help of Let It Be Us, a foster care recruitment agency. She faced challenges when her two older children began asking questions about their early years in foster care.

"As a parent, one of the most basic things I am supposed to give my child is their story," Khamkhounnavong said. "Children who come through the foster care system already lose so much. They should not also lose access to their own history. In my view, knowing your own history is a basic human right."

Although detailed records documenting placements, milestones, and life events are maintained in the state's case management system, access to certain foster care records is limited. This gap can leave families unable to answer simple but meaningful questions about where their children lived, who cared for them, or what their early experiences looked like.

"Children have a right to their own story," said Senator Darby Hills. "We can protect privacy and still provide answers."

The Healing Through History Act would require that adoptive families receive a copy of a child's official case record, with appropriate redactions to protect the identities of foster families and other children, at least 30 days before an adoption is finalized. The bill does not create new records and remains in compliance with state and federal privacy laws, ensuring access only to information already maintained by caseworkers.

Senate Bill 2895 now moves forward in the legislative process for consideration by the Illinois Senate.