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DONATE Today!
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Donations are used to support Colorado's adoptive families. |
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Classroom Training
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AdoptCare Network Training Advanced
Wednesday
June 4, 2014
9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Fort Collins, CO
Click here for more info.
Empowering Principles� Saturday June 7, 2014 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Denver Dept of Human Services 1200 Federal Blvd Denver, CO 80204 Click here for more info. Parenting a Child Who Experienced Trauma Tuesday June 10, 2014 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Ca�on City, CO Click here for more info.
Teens, Tween and Everything In-Between
Wednesday
June 11, 2014
8:00 a.m. - noon
2573 Midpoint Drive
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Click here for more info.
Helping Children Cope
Wednesday
June 11, 2014
1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
2573 Midpoint Drive
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Click here for more info.
Caring for Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused
June 13 & 14, 2014
Friday, 4:40 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Northeast Regional Training Center
2573 Midpoint Drive
Fort Collins CO 80525
Click here for more info.
Correcting Principles of TBRI�
Saturday
June 14, 2014
12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Denver Dept of Human Services
1200 Federal Blvd
Denver, CO 80204
Click here for more info.
Nurturing Children with Special
Health Care Needs
Wednesday
June 18, 2014
8:00 a.m. - noon
195 West 14th Street
Rifle, CO 81650
Click here for more info.
Promoting Placement Stability
Wednesday
June 18, 2014
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
195 West 14th Street
Rifle, CO 81650
Click here for more info.
Trust-Based Relational Intervention
Thursday
June 19, 2014
5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Parker, CO
Click here for more info.
Multi-Racial Families & Cultural Identity in Adopted Children
Saturday
June 21, 2014
9:00 a.m. - noon
Christ Community Church
1301 15th St
Greeley, CO
Click here for more info.
Mental Health and Medications June 23 & 24, 2014 Monday 9:00 a.m. -4:30 p.m. Tuesday 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. 172 Justice Center Rd Canon City, CO 81212 Click here for more info. Starting Over: An Intensive Family Intervention Training for Defiant & Out-of-Control Children Saturday & Sunday July 12-13, 1014 Denver, CO Click here for more info. |
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Webinars
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Using Emotional CPR (eCPR) to Implement Systems Transformation
Wednesday
June 4, 2014
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Click here for more info.
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| Conferences | |
17th Conference on Family Group Decision Making
Tuesday - Friday
June 10-13, 2014
Vail, CO
Click here for more info.
2014 NACAC Conference
Permanency Matters:
A Family for Growing Up and Growing Old
Wednesday - Saturday
July 23-26, 2014
Kansas City, MO
Click here more information.
27th Annual
National Independent Living Conference
"Growing Pains 2014"
For Adults and Youth
Tuesday-Friday
August 26-29, 2014
Sheraton Downtown Denver
1550 Court Pl
Denver, CO 80202
Click here for more info.
2014 Reading in the Rockies Conference
Friday-Saturday
October 10-11, 2014
Hyatt Beaver Creek
More info to come.
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Webcasts
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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.
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?
Improving the Economic Security of Children in Foster Care and Young People Who Are Transitioning from Foster Care
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FREE AFP Online Classes
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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 |
| Kempe Center Webinars | |
The Kempe Center for the Prevention & Treatment of Child Abuse & Neglect has announced the dates for their free upcoming webinar series on Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) and other family engagement approaches. This series, for child and family serving professionals, advocates, foster parents, and other community stakeholders, will include a wide range of topics by presenters representing many areas in the field of family inclusion in decision making.
All these webinar are free of charge.
Competencies for Strengths-based Family Workers
Thursday, August 14, 2014, noon
Leading the Way: Supervisors Promoting Critical Thinking in FGDM Practice
Tuesday, September 16, 2014, noon
Family Group Decision Making: Engaging, Encouraging, and Empowering Families to Succeed
Wednesday, October 15, 2014, noon
Believe it or Not: The Interplay between Child Welfare Agency Staff Attitudes and Knowledge about FGDM and Implementation
Thursday, November 13, 2014, noon
Click here for more information.
Click here to register for one of the webinars.
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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.
May 31 Maleficent June 21 HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
Click here for more info. | |
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Help COCAF
While You Shop!
Use AmazonSmile when you shop Amazon, and support COCAF at the same time! Shop at AmazonSmile and 0.5% of your eligible Amazon purchases can be donated to the nonprofit of your choice - including COCAF. Your donations help adoptive families in Colorado find the services they need to keep their families safe, healthy, and thriving. Click here to start shopping.
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I received several very nice emails about last month's enewsletter. The writers told me that they enjoyed hearing about my children, and that made me think that maybe we'd all like to hear about your children. So if you have a story about your child (or children) that you'd like to share with the world (at least our little enewsletter world), please email it to me at [email protected]. I can't promise that we can include everything we receive in our enewsletter, but we'll try!
In the meanwhile, I hope that you all have a wonderful June AND don't forget to give lots of love to all the fathers out there!
Happy Fathers' Day!
K. Colleen Tarket, COCAF Board of Directors
[email protected]
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Family Corner
At COCAF, we constantly struggle to find adequate resources for adopted families in two critical areas: Respite and adoption-competent mental health care. So we've decided to go to the experts - you adoptive parents - and ask for help.
Currently, we have an adoptive family that needs respite care for their 16-year old son for June 5-11, 2014. The family is willing to provide reciprocating respite services or to pay for respite. If you would like to help this family, please contact mom Kari at [email protected].
PLEASE NOTE: COCAF is providing this as a service to our permanency families, but is not responsible for any arrangements made between families. Before agreeing to provide respite to anyone, please make sure that you are well informed about the situation to ensure the best outcome for all involved.
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Camp Teen Fundango
Friday, June 6- Sunday, June 8, 2014
EDUCO ADVENTURE WEEKEND FOR ADOPTIVE, FOSTER, & KINSHIP TEENS (AGES 10-16)
Registration fee $30.00
Space is limited to the first 24 teens.
Camp Teen Fundango challenges kids to step outside of their comfort zone, connect with new and unexpected friends, and to discover their sense of self and leadership. The weekend is full with fun activities including rock climbing, mountain boarding, and hiking!
For more information and registration information, call 970-223-1230 or email [email protected].
Click here for more information.
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Domestic Adoption Camp, July 24-27
The theme this year is "Family Ties: What Holds Us Together." Through art, music, movement, play, team building, outdoor activities, and more, children from the age of 3 to 18 joyfully will explore and celebrate being adopted. Children's counselors will be young adult adoptees. Experts in the fields of adoption, education, trauma ,and child development are invited to speak with parents and with older teens. Parents have an opportunity to be with a group of people who "GET IT." No explanations, no crazy questions, no judgments. Come learn and share with other adoptive families. Registration is open. Scholarships are available for those who need financial assistance. Click here for more information.
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NACAC Conference Registration Is Now Open!
Registration is now open for the annual NACAC conference in Kansas City, Missouri, on July 23-26, 2014. You can download a registration booklet or view all of the information and register online. This year's conference includes three pre-conference sessions:
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Permanency for Older Children and Youth: Critical Work Before, During, and After Placement
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Creating Trauma-Competent Homes to Nurture Permanency and Attachment
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Improving Services and Outcomes with Older LGBTQ Youth in Care
This nationally recognized adoption conference includes more than 90 workshops for all members of the adoption and foster care community; programming for children ages 6 to 17; and a 2-day conference for youth (July 24 & 25) , sponsored by Jockey Being FamilyTM, for youth advocates ages 18 to 25.
Click here for more information or to register.
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| NACAC Scholarships Available
The North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) is pleased to announce the availability of a limited number of scholarships, funded by Jockey Being Family, to attend NACAC's 40th annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri, July 24-26, 2014.
Scholarships are available to parent group leaders if (1) your parent group is or becomes a current parent group member of NACAC and (2) the applicant has NOT previously attended an annual NACAC conference.
The scholarship can cover:
- NACAC conference individual registration fee
- up to three nights of lodging (you share a room with another scholarship recipient)
- all or most of airfare (arranged by NACAC) or mileage for driving to Kansas City
Applicants are encouraged to access other resources or commit personal funds to cover some of these costs, which would allow us to increase the number of scholarships NACAC awards. Please note your willingness/ability to cover any of your expenses on the application.
Scholarship recipients may attend one of the pre-conference sessions on July 23 (see registration booklet for descriptions)-but these sessions are not covered by the scholarship. Attendees would be responsible for the registration fee ($100) and lodging for Tuesday night.
NACAC has an extremely limited number of scholarships available. To apply for a scholarship, complete an application; click here to go to the online application. If you cannot use the online application, please contact Christina Romo for a paper copy of the application. NACAC must receive the entire application packet by May 15, 2014 by Survey Monkey, mail, fax, or email:
Christina Romo, NACAC
970 Raymond Avenue, Suite 106
Saint Paul, MN 55114-1149
Fax: 651-644-9848 [email protected]
Phone: 651-644-3036, x17
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Transportation for People With Disabilities
From the Colorado Development Disabilities Council
Monday, June 2, 2014
Police Station, District 33
1625 South University Boulevard
Denver, CO 80210
1:00-3:00 pm
Accessible, affordable, and flexible means of transportation are important to everyone, but often unavailable to people with disabilities. Sometimes, the simple act of commuting to work, keeping a doctor's appointment, going to the grocery store, or just visiting friends poses insurmountable challenges.
This is especially true in a state such as Colorado, whose layout ranges from the urban centers of the Front Range to the rural communities of the Western Slope.
To register, or obtain more information, please contact Lionel at: [email protected] or at 720-941-0176.
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Free Larimer County Camp
Larimer County teens aged 13 to 16, have the opportunity to attend a free, 6-day outdoor adventure camp July 7-12. To read more about the camp and how to apply, click here. |
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Post-Adoption Support Push
Many national adoption advocacy groups have joined together to ask Congress to improve post-adoption support for those who adopt from the foster care system. Access to appropriate post-adoption resources is an issue in Colorado, as it is in most other states. Read the recommendations for changes here. |
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Adoption Institute Issues Key Research on Post-Adoption Services
From NACAC
The Donaldson Adoption Institute recently published two important reports on the current state of post-adoption services and the need for additional supports:
- Keeping the Promise: The Case for Adoption Support and Preservation - This new report summarizes research related to post-adoption instability and the positive effect of post-adoption services. Based on new data gathered from eight states and other data, it outlines the imperative need for children and families to receive post-adoption support services. Key findings include: (1)about 10 percent of children adopted from foster care re-enter care; (2) of those about one-quarter or one-third experience a dissolved adoption; (3) another 10 percent of children leave their homes after the adoption for at least some period of time; and (4) another 20 to 30 percent of children and youth adopted from care face significant challenges. Click here to go to the report.
- Supporting and Preserving Adoptive Families: Profiles of Publicly Funded Post-Adoption Services - This companion report catalogs and analyzes the types and range of post-adoption support provided by each state, state eligibility criteria for support services, and funding of services. The report also recommends the types of support services that states should be providing. Click here to go to the report.
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A New Vision for Adoption
From National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections (NRCPFC)
Webcast: Re-Envisioning Foster Care in America-The Treehouse Community
Wednesday, June 4, 2014, 1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.
In this free NRCPFC webcast, NRCPFC Director of Information Services, Tracy Serdjenian, speaks with various members of the Treehouse Community about their experiences of being a part of this unique community. Treehouse is a multi-generational community, located in Easthampton, Massachusetts, designed to support families who are fostering and adopting children from the public foster care system. Judy Cockerton, Founder/Executive Director of the Treehouse Foundation, provides viewers with the history of the Treehouse Community and discusses how Treehouse has engaged and partnered with various groups and stakeholders through their initiatives and projects to support children, families, and elders. She offers an overview of Treehouse Foundation's various projects and initiatives, and shares lessons they learned as the community grew and developed. Treehouse Community Elders share their stories of how they came to live at Treehouse, their experiences living within the community, and ways they engage with children and other families. Parents in the Treehouse Community share their experiences living at Treehouse, including how it has supported their children and families, and how they are involved in the community. Kerry Homstead, Community Facilitator, discusses her role in connecting Treehouse Community members with resources and helping to meet their emerging needs, as well as best practices and programs at Treehouse that support children and youth in flourishing. Beth Spong, Development Consultant, talks about the Treehouse Community in relation to the larger context of the region and country. Learn more and register, click here. |
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Events
2014 Champions for Children Golf Classic to Benefit The Adoption Exchange Champions for Children Celebration Dinner on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 Denver Marriot South at Park Meadows Champions for Children Golf Tournament on Thursday, June 26, 2014 Sanctuary Golf Course, Sedalia, CO Click here for more information. |
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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.
Welcome Child Adoption/Foster Care Support Group
Second Sunday of the month (May 11 & June 8)
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Timberline Church, Room 214
2908 S. Timberline Road
Fort Collins, CO 80525
For more information contact Michele Sanner by email at mlsanner@gmail.com or by phone at (970) 481-5749.
Click here to register for childcare.
Xpress Yourself Art & Play Therapy
Support groups for internationally adopted children & adolescents
CCAI
6920 S. Holly Circle
Centennial, CO 80112
Call 303-850-9998, ext 22
Called to Adopt Support Group
4th Saturday of the month, 6:00 p.m.,
Christ Community Church, Greeley, CO
Click here for more info.
The Men's Group for Adoptive Dads
Thursdays, 6:00 a.m. - 7:00 a.m.
Zoe's, 715 10th 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.
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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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Use this area to provide your subscribers information about your organization.
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
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