Over the summer, the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) conducted a series of nine town hall meetings across Colorado to solicit comments and suggestions on their 2015 Strategic Plan; the Strategic Plan guides CDHS's direction and priorities for the coming year.  

COCAF continues to advocate for permanency families, raising issues with CDHS that pertain to pre- and post-adoptive and kinship families. Several of the topics that we continue to discuss, and that have been mentioned during some of the town hall strategic planning meetings, include:  

• Reevaluation of the adoption/kinship subsidy program;
• Respite care;
• Consistency and availability of post-adoption/post-kinship services;
• Supports and information for families whose children need educational services/supports; and
• Availability of timely and appropriate mental and behavioral health services, including higher levels of care if a child is not able to safely remain in the home.

CDHS's Strategic Planning Committee is continuing to solicit public comments. If you are interested in submitting comments pertaining to Colorado's supports and programs for pre- and post-adoptive and kinship families, click here. To see the tour presentation, click here.

Although there are no specific questions on the survey for our families, this is still the correct forum to provide any concerns, comments, or suggestions you may have (perhaps in the "Additional comments or suggestions" box).

Thank you for taking the time to submit your comments in support of Colorado's permanency families!

If you are considering adopting from the foster care system, you should be educated about adoption assistance (sometimes referred to as adoption subsidies). Here are four documents from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, the North American Council on Adoptable Children, the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, and Child Welfare Information Gateway that address adoption assistance:

If you are considering guardianship, you should review the Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (AAICAMA) information on the Tile IV-E Guardianship Assistance Program (GAP). Click here to go to that information. 

2013 Adoption-Friendly Workplaces

From The Dave Thomas Foundation

The Dave Thomas Foundation has provided their annual report on workplaces with the best benefits related to adoption.

Click here to read the report the report sorted by industry.

Click here to read the report sorted by size. 

Adoption Mentor Pilot Program 

From COPARC

Looking for a mentor? The Colorado Post-Adoption Resource Center (COPARC) is piloting an exciting new program that will team experienced adoptive parents and adopted teens with new adoptive parents and preteens. For more information on the program, contact Jill Oulman by email at [email protected] or by phone at 303-755-4756 x266 before September 15, 2014. 

NACAC  Accepting Proposals for 2015
From the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC)

NACAC is accepting proposals from potential speakers for the 2015 NACAC conference in Long Beach, California. The conference will run from July 30 to August 1, with pre-conference sessions on July 29.  Proposals are being accepted until October 3, 2014.

NACAC is seeking presentations that can help parents, professionals, and advocates gain skills and knowledge in adoption-related topics. NACAC encourages adoptive and foster parents, child welfare professionals, adoptees, birth parents, former foster youth, researchers, therapists, and other child advocates to submit workshop proposals for the conference.

Click here for more information.

On Monday, September 8, 2014, the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health will be live-streaming the plenary speeches from its 18th biennial Robert Lee Sutherland Seminar, "The State of Mental Health Recovery: Research, Training, and Practice." The free live-stream will be available at youtube.com/HoggFoundation.

The speakers-Patricia Deegan, Annelle Primm, Larry Davidson, and Chacku Mathai-are nationally recognized experts in the field of mental health recovery.

Click here for more information and the link for live listening.

The Language of Flowers: An Evening with Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Colorado Department of Human Services &

Denver Human Services

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

The Cable Center

2000 Buchtel Blvd, Denver, CO 80210

This event is free, but you must pre-register.

Click here to register.

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.

Young Adult Mental Illness Support Group

For ages 18-28

1st & 3rd Thursday of every month

6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

1st week Classroom F-G

3rd week Classroom E

St Anthony Hospital

11600 W 2nd Dr

Lakewood, CO 80228

Contact Courtney at 720-369-2629 for more information.

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.

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.

 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

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.

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

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]

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

Art Underground

 901 Front Street, Louisville, CO 80027

$25 per session; reservations required.

Call 720-352-1743.