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

Let's Talk Adoption

The Journey Of Attachment

Tough Starts: Brain Development Matters

Tough Starts: Family Matters

Tough Starts: Parenting Matters

Tough Starts: Treatment 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.

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.

July 26
Planes:
Fire & Rescue

September 27
Dolphin Tale 2

October 25
Book of Life

November 29
Home

December 13
Paddington

Click here for more info.

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.

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.

Summer is officially here, and I'm already hearing "I'm bored" from the little ones...how about you? My mother's solution to "I'm bored" was always to give us chores, so we learned fairly quickly not to complain...we'd rather be bored than scrubbing floors! Recent studies show that boredom is not a bad thing, and that letting your kids have downtime to "be bored" actually helps to stimulate their imaginations. Who knew?

I hope your summer gives you a chance to connect with your children and with your imagination!

K. Colleen Tarket, COCAF Board of Directors

[email protected]

Adoptees' Access to Birth Certificates
From Adoptees In Search - Colorado Triad Connection Trialogue

Governor John Hickenlooper signed two bills spearheaded by Adoptees in Search - Colorado's Triad Connection and supported by COCAF in a public ceremony held at the State Capitol in May. SB 14-051 (Tochtrop/Saine) will give an estimated 75,000 adult adoptees access to adoption records in court files, effective July 1, 2014. Original birth certificates become available January 1, 2016, after a transition period that phases out the existing, more restrictive version of a Contact Preference Form. HB 14-1042 (Saine/Tochtrop), dubbed "the Philomena bill" by Senator Tochtrop, guarantees birth parents access to records they signed during the relinquishment process effective August 7, 2014.

Click here to read SB 14-051.

Click here to read HB 14-1042.

Domestic Adoption Camp, July 24-27

Registration Deadline Is Monday, June 30

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.

NACAC Conference Is Almost Here!

Registration is 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:

Permanency for Older Children and Youth: Critical Work Before, During, and After Placement
Creating Trauma-Competent Homes to Nurture Permanency and Attachment
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.

Preteen & Teen Parenting Help

Are you parenting a preteen or teen and struggling with openness in adoption issues or other teen issues? If so, then join us for an evening of discussion.

Date: Tuesday, July 22

Time: 6:30 p.m. -8:00 p.m.

Location: Eternal Savior Lutheran Church

2688 Northpark Dr, Lafayette, CO

Snacks will be provided but NOT dinner. Childcare will be provided. RSVP REQUIRED!

RSVP to Suzanne Daniels, LCSW, Family Outreach Program, Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services at 303-441-1533 or by email at [email protected].

Attachment Interventions
From the National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections (NRCPFC)

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) has launched a new topic area, Attachment Interventions (Child & Adolescent), on their website. Five programs are highlighted in this new topic area, including: Corrective Attachment Therapy; Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP); Family Bonding Camp; Institute for Attachment and Child Development- Family Treatment Program; and Trust-Based Relational Intervention� (TBRI�) Therapeutic Camp.

Click here to read more.

Camp Scholarships

Camp Timberline has scholarships available for foster, adoptive, and kinship children to participate at one of their summer day camps for FREE!!

July 14-19 (9:00 am - 4:00 pm daily) Immanuel Lutheran Church at 4650 Sunview Drive in Loveland. This camp is for 1st-6th graders.

Campers will experience all the fun of resident Camp Timberline at home on the Front Range! From high quality sports instruction, wild camp games, parties, and wacky skits and songs, your child is sure to have a week they will never forget. With 4 to 1 camper to counselor ratio, your child is sure to receive the attention they deserve. To learn more about the daily schedule and to watch a video about these camps, click here.

To sign up for camp and to receive the scholarship, email Erica Wharton at [email protected] the following info ASAP:

Child's full name
Age
Grade entering
name of parents
phone number
email address

Permanent Families for All Children Act

Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) introduced today the Permanent Families for All Children Act, legislation that would redirect federal resources towards helping foster youth find their "forever family."

"Finding a permanent home for children living in foster care is a top priority for child welfare agencies, but budget constraints and increased caseloads often interfere with that process," said Langevin, who serves on the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth. "Too many children live in limbo in foster care, and we need to support a system that prioritizes permanent home placements."

The Permanent Families for All Children Act limits the reimbursement for Foster Care Maintenance Payments (FCMP) to 36 months. This would not affect the amount of money a state receives, but would ensure that federal dollars are not being spent warehousing youth in foster care.

The legislation additionally ends the outdated Aid for Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) eligibility requirements, which have not been revised since 1996. By eliminating these requirements, the bill would allow states to spread the same pot of money around to all eligible children.

Click here to read the entire press release.

Fundango Summer Events

Fundango events are currently planned for these dates/places:

Saturday, June 28 in Loveland; theme is Wild West

Saturday, July 26 in Fort Collins; theme is Nature/Camping

Saturday, August 16 in Loveland; theme is Safari

Click here for more information.

If you would like to sign your family up for any of the Fundango events, send an email listing all the children who will be attending and the dates to sign them up to Erica Wharton at [email protected].

Reversing Autism?

An article in Disability Scoop talks about a study showing the possibility of reversing autism symptoms at least on a temporary basis.

Click here to read the entire article.

Want a Discount for Elitch Gardens?

Looking to take your family to Elitch Gardens, but want to save a few bucks?

Click here to see some discounts that might help you out!

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.

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.

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