Authorized Representatives

Authorized Representatives Training and Support

Act 101 of 2010 strengthened how adopted persons, birth relatives, and adoptive families in Pennsylvania may request information, access records, and pursue contact with birth relatives. To support these processes, the law created the role of the Authorized Representative—a court- or agency-appointed professional responsible for managing search, information-sharing, and contact efforts in alignment with the statute. 

Voce is the sole provider in Pennsylvania of the standardized training required for Authorized Representatives under Act 101. 

• We deliver the DHS-approved curriculum for newly appointed Authorized Representatives. 
• Our training reflects decades of adoption and child welfare experience and focuses on the legal, procedural, and relational aspects of adoption search practice. 
• Eligible participants may earn CEUs and CLEs underscoring the professionalism and rigor of the program. 
• We provide ongoing support to Authorized Representatives through the administration of a discussion board and facilitation of quarterly AR meetings focused on building best search practices and access to resources. 

Purpose of the Training

This training prepares Authorized Representatives to: 

• Conduct searches impartially and ethically while maintaining confidentiality and supporting all involved parties. 
• Navigate coordination with courts, county children and youth agencies, licensed adoption agencies, and the Pennsylvania Adoption Information Registry (PAIR). 
• Apply state policy, bulletin guidance, and best-practice standards to search, information requests, and post-adoption contact. 

Why This Training Matters

• Act 101 expanded who may request adoption-related information and established timelines for responding to those requests. 
• Each court and agency is required to appoint a trained Authorized Representative to manage these inquiries and conduct diligent search efforts. 
• Standardized training ensures Authorized Representatives are prepared to handle the legal, emotional, and interpersonal complexities of adoption-related searches. 
• Skilled Authorized Representatives help facilitate timely, sensitive, and lawful connections for adoptees and families. 

Who Should Attend

This training is intended for individuals who: 

• Have been or will be appointed by a Pennsylvania court or agency as an Authorized Representative. 
• Work in adoption, child welfare, family-finding/search, or legal settings and need a clear understanding of the role’s responsibilities. 
• Serve as the designated point person in their county, court, or agency for adoption-related search and contact. 

Registration is now open.

When: Wednesday, January 7, 2026 | 9am - 4pm

Where: 300 Corporate Center Drive, Camp Hill, PA 17011

Cost: $150 | Participants can purchase a training material binder for an additional $25

Registration fees may be paid by debit or credit card at the time of registration, or by check. Checks should be made payable to Voce and mailed to 200 Corporate Center Drive, Suite 100A, Camp Hill, PA 17011 by December 31, 2025.  Cancellations submitted at least three business days before the scheduled training will be accepted and refunded accordingly.

Speakers