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In This Issue
Re-Homing
COCAF Update
National Adoption Day Event
NAM Website
Medicaid to 26
Great Classes
Respite Survey
Adoption Tax Credit
Twitter COCAF!
Support Groups
Classroom Training

 

Motivational Interviewing

Monday

September 30, 2013

6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

First Evangelical Lutheran Church

803 3rd Ave, Longmont, CO

Click here for more info.

 

Aging with Disabilities Training

Saturday

October 12, 2013

10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

The Arc

8725 W 14th Ave, Ste 100

Lakewood, CO 80215

Click here for more info.

 

Post Adoption Resources & Advocacy for Adoptive Families

Saturday

October 19, 2013

9:00 a.m.

Christ Community Church

1301 15th St

Greeley, CO

RSVP by Oct 11 to

Loni at 970-339-8545

Click here for more info.

     

Openness in Adoption: A Panel of Post-Adoptive Parents

Monday

October 28, 2013

6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

First Evangelical Lutheran Church

803 3rd Ave, Longmont, CO

Click here for more info.

   

Understanding Attachment & Creating a Nurturing Environment

Monday

November 18, 2013

6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

First Evangelical Lutheran Church

803 3rd Ave, Longmont, CO

Click here for more info.

 

Adoption Through the Eyes of a Child

Thursday

November 21, 2013

Broomfield, CO

8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

More info to come.

 

Webcasts

These webinars have been recorded and are available 24X7

 

Supporting Youth in Transition: The Importance of Case Worker Visits

Click here to for more info.

 

Adoption Tax Credit: A Guide for State Advocates

Click here for more info.

 

Child Welfare and the Affordable Care Act

Click here for more info.

 

Successful Stepfamily Living

Click here for more info.

  

Improving the Economic Security of Children in Foster Care & Young People Who Are Transitioning out of Care

 

Privatization of Child Welfare Services: A Guide for State Advocates

Click here to download.

 

Collaborating with Kinship Caregivers Curriculum and TA

Click here to download.

 

Finding What Works: Helping Young Adults Transition into Adulthood

Click here to download.

 

The Uninterrupted Scholars Act: How Do Recent Changes to FERPA Help Child Welfare Agencies Get Access to School Records?

Click here to download.

The 50 State Chartbook on Foster Care: A Web-Based Data Resource for Child Welfare Professionals

Click here to download.

 
  Improving the Economic Security of Children in Foster Care and Young People Who Are Transitioning from Foster Care
Webinars
  

Partnering for Permanence: Creative Strategies for Raising Awareness about Adoption from Foster Care

Wednesday

October 2, 2013

Noon - 1:30 p.m.

Click here for more info.

   

 

Too Many Losses, Too Soon: Loss & Grief Among Foster & Adopted Children

Thursday

October 17, 2013

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Or

Monday

October 21, 2013

4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Or

Tuesday

October 22, 2013

7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Click here for more info.

 
W.I.S.E UP!sm For Parents: Empowering Children to Handle Questions about Adoption

Thursday

November 21, 2013

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Or

Monday

November 25, 2013

4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Or

Tuesday

November 26, 2013

7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Click here for more info.

 

 

  

FREE Online Courses
FREE AFP Online Classes

These classes are available free to families who have adopted internationally or privately. To get your online training code and instructions for accessing your free training class, contact Michelle Betsch at [email protected] or

303-829-4296.

  

Conspicuous Families


  Discipline and the Adopted Child: Ain't Misbehavin'

 

Finding the Missing Pieces 

 


The Journey Of Attachment 

 

 Tough Starts: Brain Development Matters  

 Conferences
                           

National Empowerment Center

Alternatives 2013

Wednesday - Saturday

December 4-7, 2013

Austin, TX

Click here for more info.

 Ametz Adoption Program/JCCA for Adoption Professionals

     

Click here for more information on any of these online courses.

         

             

Sharing The Tough Stuff

Wednesday

October 16, 2013

10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

 

Understanding And Meeting The Needs Of Jewish Adoptive Families

Thursday

November 21, 2013

11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

 

Drug And Alcohol Exposure: Children Form The Us And Abroad

Thursday

January 16, 2014

10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

 

Ethical Challenges In Adoption Practice

Thursday

February 13, 2014

11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

 

Untangling The Web: The Internet's Transformative Impact On Domestic And International Adoption

Wednesday

April 30, 2014

10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

AMC Autism Logo  
Sensory Friendly Films
  
AMC Theatres (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other disabilities a special opportunity to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and accepting environment on a monthly basis with the "Sensory Friendly Films" program.
  

October 5, 2013

10:00 a.m. 

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2

 

November 9, 2013

10:00 a.m.

Free Birds

 

December 7, 2013

10:00 a.m.

Frozen 2-D 

 

 

Click here for more info.

 

 

Greetings!

 

 September was definitely a month to remember in Colorado. Our positive thoughts go out to all those affected by the floods.

 

I can't help but think about how those who lost everything in the floods are like our children adopted from foster care or foreign orphanages...their pasts washed away unexpectedly and then they're expected to put on a happy face as they build a whole new life. It can't be easy, even if you have a lot of support and love. COCAF is wishing for lots of healing for all of you.

 

October is the start of the holiday season. Halloween, followed by Thanksgiving, and then whatever December holiday you celebrate...it can be a lot for adoptive kids to process if you don't give them the time and space to incorporate your traditions into their lives. Talk about what your family does - and why - and ask if they have any traditions they'd like to bring into their new family. Helping kids retain part of their history lets them know that their traditions are just as valid as yours.

 

Happy Autumn!!

 

Colleen Tarket, Board Member 

[email protected]

 


Re-Homing
                                                                              

Some of you may have read the Reuters reports about "re-homing" adopted children. (Click here to go to the articles.) For those of you who didn't, the series of articles are about families who adopted internationally or from foster care, and when the families found they couldn't parent these troubled children, they use the internet to find new homes for their adopted children.  Re-homing is not legal or ethical, and it bypasses all the safety measures put in place by states and counties to make sure children are in appropriate homes.

 

While the series focuses on three clearly unacceptable "parents" who readily take these kids and then allegedly abuse them, the implications are obvious - without the proper background checks and home studies, child abusers of every ilk have a ready source of children.

 

COCAF stands with other adoption organizations in condemning this practice.  However, COCAF does understand how parents can get to this dark place.  The lack of resources and support from our state and county governments is painfully obvious to any adoptive parent seeking help.  Qualified adoption and trauma-informed therapists are few and far between, not to mention costly.  Schools are ill equipped to understand or help.  Mental health services for children in Colorado are sadly lacking, and long-term residential care is almost nonexistent.  Plus parents struggling with one child risk losing all their children if they seek help from their county department of human services.

 

COCAF will continue to work to improve services for all adoptive families in Colorado, but you can help, too.  Contact your state and federal legislators and let them know how the lack of services affects you - a voter.  Unless we, as a collective group of adoptive parents, make our needs known, nothing will change. 

 

And if you are a parent in that dark place, contact COCAF.  We don't have all the answers, but we will do everything in our power to help you.

  
COCAF Update  
                                       
COCAF Logo

Deborah Cave, COCAF Executive Director, spent this last month preparing for and attending a fair hearing for a family that adopted from Arapahoe County.  As a representative of the family, Deborah does her best to ensure the family's rights under Title IV-E are protected.  Deborah also prepared for the quarterly Child Ombudsman Advisory Board meeting.

 

Colleen Tarket, COCAF board member, spoke to the family studies class at Broomfield High School.  COCAF appreciates Broomfield High teacher Kailen Stover taking the time to teach her students about adoption and foster care.
  
And watch for more news on our collaborative event for National Adoption Day (see below).
  

A National Adoption Day Event:

Adoption Through the Eyes of a Child
                                       
teacher-girl-reading.jpg

Join us for an adoption-focused Resource Fair and training by Debbie Riley from Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.), national adoption expert and author of Beneath the Mask, about "what adopted children comprehend, think, and feel about adoption as they develop from the pre-school years through adolescence." Attend the full-day training, or choose between a morning session focusing on younger children and an afternoon session focusing on older children.

 

This event will be held in Broomfield, and is brought to you by Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services, Broomfield City and County Department of Human Services, the Colorado Post-Adoption Resource Center (COPARC), and COCAF.  More details will be provide in next month's e-newsletter.

  
National Adoption Month Website 
                                       

National Adoption Month (NAM) draws attention to the urgent need for permanent adoptive families for the more than 100,000 children and youth in foster care waiting for adoption. This year's NAM theme, "Partnering for Permanency," emphasizes the partnerships necessary to create permanent connections for children and youth in care. To help everyone join forces to create permanent connections for the children and youth in foster care, the NAM website offers a variety of audience-specific resources, including information for professionals, parents and youth. This website was created in partnership by the Child Welfare Information Gateway, a service of the Children's Bureau, and AdoptUSKids.  Click here to access these resources on the newly launched 2013 website.

  
Medicaid to 26 for Foster Care Youth  
From the State Policy Advocacy and Reform Center (SPARC)
                                                                              

The latest SPARC brief, Medicaid to 26 for Youth in Foster Care: Key Steps for Advocates. Authored by ChildFocus, this new resource outlines key steps child welfare stakeholders can take to ensure Medicaid coverage to age 26 for youth in or who have aged out of foster care.

 

Click here to read the complete brief.

  

CSFPA Offers Great Classes & Boot Camps
                                       
The Colorado State Foster Parent Association (CSFPadult-education-class.jpgA) offers a variety of classes that are appropriate for foster or adoptive parents. The classes are offered in a variety of locations, from Ca�on City to Fort Collins to Rifle, as well as various locations in the Denver metro area. To see a list of their current classes, click here.

 

In addition, CSFPA will be offering boot-camps on October 17th and November 14th.  Both boot camps will offer 8 hours of continuing education and take place in the metro area.  Contact CSFPA for more information.

  
Respite Survey 
From The Colorado Respite Coalition
                                                                              

The Colorado Respite Coalition works to improve the quality and accessibility of respite care resources across the state. Part of educating communities is putting faces to those in need of respite care and sharing their stories. 

Many of you work with caregivers and their loved ones every day. Do you have testimonials or stories from your clients? If so, please consider sharing them with the Colorado Respite Coalition.  Please contact Meghan Baskett, Project Manager, Colorado Respite Care Project, at
[email protected] to share your brief stories. Pictures are welcome!

 

The Colorado Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics recently received a grant to complete a statewide analysis and needs assessment for medical care for out-of-home youth. They hope that by identifying current practices and areas of promise and need, they can eventually work towards creating a comprehensive, integrated, and cross-system statewide program such that is required by the Fostering Connection legislation. Your input can help them better understand the needs for providing medical treatment for out-of-home youth.

 

Click here to complete the survey if you are a foster parent.

 

Click here to complete the survey if you are a child welfare professional.
  
Adoption Tax Credit Updates 

Curious about the status of the Adoption Tax Credit legislation? Click here to see the most current information.


Twitter @Adopt_Colorado 

 

Check us out at http://www.twitter.com/Adopt_Colorado  and follow us!  You'll get up to the minute news on classes, resources, and adoption issues. 

  

Support Groups

 

Sometimes our children provide us with challenges that we're just not quite ready to handle.  And sometimes support groups can help us find the answers we need, or at least make us feel okay about the unique challenges we're facing.  Here are some support groups that might be helpful.

   

LGBTQ Families

2nd Thursday of the month, 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Parenting Place, 1235 Pine St, Boulder, CO

 October 10: Dr Colwell on relationship tips after children

November 14: Legal issues affecting LBGTQ families.

Contact Jane by email at [email protected] or by phone at 303-449-0177, ext 201.

 

Called to Adopt Support Group

4th Saturday of the month, 6:00 p.m.,
Christ Community Church, Greeley, CO

September 27th:

Helping Your Child Re-Connect and Building a Support Network
 

Click here for more info.

 

The Men's Group for Adoptive Dads

Thursdays, 6:00 a.m. - 7:00 a.m.

Christ Community Church (south door)

1301 15th St, Greeley, CO 80631

For more information, contact Tim Paxton at 970-691-5737 or by email at [email protected].

 

 Sensory Processing Disorder Parent Support Group

Facilitators:  Sarah Ahn and Jenny Burnsed, LPC

Last Monday of every month 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Bixby School,  3750 Table Mesa Drive, Boulder

There is no fee associated with this group, though donations are gratefully accepted.  Please contact Sarah at [email protected] for questions.
 

Therapeutic Post-Adoption Support Group

2nd Thursday of the month, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Windsor Timberline Church

360 E Crossroads Blvd, Windsor, CO

Click here for more information.

 

Aurora Mental Health

Adoption Support Group

2nd & 4th Mondays of the month

Aurora Mental Health

11059 E Bethany Drive, Aurora, CO 80014

Click here for more information.

 

The Be The Change Challenge

(For parents of challenging children)

2nd Tuesday of each month, 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

ACL Boulder, 5744 North 71st Street, Longmont, Colorado 80503

Call 630-841-0458

Click here for more info.

 

EMPOWER Colorado Adams County Rainbow Center

3rd Thursday of each month, 6:00 p.m. -  8:00 p.m.

2140 E 88th Ave, Thornton, CO  80229

Contact:  KimNichelle Rivera 303-226-5536

 

EMPOWER Littleton/Aurora/Englewood

1st & 3rd Thursday, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network

155 Inverness Drive West, Englewood, CO 80112

Contact Carol Villa at 303-790-1055 for more information or email [email protected]

 

NAMI Connections Recovery Support Group for Adults

Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m. 8:30 p.m.

ADMHN Building, 3rd floor

5500 S. Sycamore St, Littleton, CO  80120

Contact:  Carol 

303-790-1055

 

NAMI Family Support Group Teleconference

2nd & 4th Tuesdays of each month

Contact:  [email protected] 

 

Louisville Parent Support Group

Second Tuesday of the month 7:00 - 8:30

Art Underground

 901 Front Street, Louisville, CO 80027

$25 per session; reservations required.

Call 720-352-1743 or mail your payment to

Parent Support Group,

608 Main St, Louisville, CO 80027

  

  

COCAF strives to provide Colorado's adoptive families with the information and resources they need to keep their families healthy and happy.  If you have ideas for topics you think we should cover, please let us know.  And if you find a good resource -- definitely let us know.  Please forward your ideas or information to me at [email protected].  Materials received by the 20th of a month will be considered for inclusion in the next month's newsletter.
  

Wishing all families peace, serenity, and a good sense of humor,
Colleen Tarket, COCAF Board Member (and newsletter put-ter-together-er)
 

COCAF does not recommend or endorse any specific book, website, survey, study, or provider of services.  The purpose of the COCAF e-newsletter is to provide families with potential resources.  All information contained in this newsletter is for general informational purposes only and as is without warranty expressed or implied, and shall not constitute legal, medical, psychiatric, educational, or parenting advice.  COCAF is not be liable for any damages arising from using the information in this newsletter, including direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, and/or consequential damages.

 

No information on this site should be considered legal advice.  Laws vary by state, so you are urged to research the specific laws, and your rights, within your state.  If you have specific questions regarding your rights, or the laws in your state, please contact an attorney.

 
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We believe that all children have the right to a permanent loving family. We are dedicated to improving services for every pre- and post-adoptive family and to increasing the knowledge and accountability of public systems. We are committed to advocacy in state and local service planning and delivery, in support of all pre and post adoptive families.

  
Sincerely,
Deborah Cave, Executive Director