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Adoption Topics       Education        Health Care       Legislative Info       Services & Resources   

In This Issue
Smile & Donate!
Taxes & Adopting in 2018?
Taxes & Adoption Assistance
CHIP Funding
Adoption Statistics
EVENTS
Heritage Adoption Camps
Support Groups

Help COCAF

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CLASSROOM
TBRI® Caregiver Training
Webinars
CONFERENCES

Parents Encouraging Parents (PEP) Conference
Thursday-Saturday
February 22-24, 2018
Colorado Springs, CO

Parents Encouraging Parents (PEP) Conference
Thursday-Saturday
April 26-28, 2018
Crested Butte, CO

NACAC Annual Conference
August 7-10, 2018
St Paul, Minnesota

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. 

Participating theatres:
 
The Greatest Showman
Tuesday
January 9

Ferdinand
Saturday
January 13

12 Strong
Tuesday
January 23

Paddington 2
Saturday
January 27

Peter Rabbit
Saturday
February 10

Maze Runner The Death Cure
Tuesday
February 13

Peter Rabbit
Saturday
February 24

Black Panther
Tuesday
February 27

FREE RESOURCES
 
Thank you to everyone who donated to COCAF in 2017!  

Your donations help Colorado's adoptive families receive the support they need to help their families thrive.  

These are our generous donors this year in alphabetical order:

Paul Beauchman
Carla and Frank Bennett
Susan and Michael Boehm
Joanne Brothers
Dianne Duncan
Joanne and Gary Garrison
Bonnie Hotard
Teresa Moses
Milt Murphy
Sean and Gretchen Selters
Dawn Sieh
Anne Tallon

We APPRECIATE you more than words can express.

And if I missed anyone -- please email me and let me know -- we don't want to leave anyone out who supported us in 2017!

Wishing your families health, happiness, and peace in 2018! 
K. Colleen Tarket, 
COCAF Board of Directors
How Will the Tax Bill Affect Families Adopting in 2018? 

money_grass.jpg
The good news is that the Adoption Tax Credit was not completely eliminated as originally proposed.  

The 2018 maximum credit will be $13,840 per child.  

Taxpayers with modified adjusted gross incomes of $207,580 to $247,579 will only be able take a portion of the maximum credit, and those taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income of $247,580 cannot take the credit at all.

How Will the Tax Bill Affect Adoptive Families Receiving Adoption Assistance Payments? 

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From Voice for Adoption (VFA)

According to Voice for Adoption's analysis, t he tax package will trigger automatic across-the board-cuts of approximately $150 billion a year unless Congress waives the cuts through a separate bill. 

The across-the-board budget cuts would be so severe as to wipe out the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) funding and cut Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) by 85 percent and take $21 million out of Foster Care and Adoption Assistance administration (and approximately $1 to $2 million from Chaffee Independent Living program). 

A waiver could be a part of another legislative package after the tax bill has passed but at this point it is not clear when or how that will happen.

COCAF anticipates that the Adoption Assistance cuts will cause many Colorado counties to attempt to cut current adoption assistance payments, as well as offering fewer and lower adoption assistance payments to those who adopt in the future.
 
CHIP Funding in Jeopardy 


As we head into 2018, the healthcare of 7.7 million children age 3 or younger is in jeopardy.

While Congress passed a temporary funding for the CHIP program, that funding will end March 31.  The fate of CHIP after that date is unknown.  

U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan has expressed a desire to reduce spending on Medicare, which would potentially mean cuts to CHIP, leaving many American children without healthcare.
 
Adoption Statistics

Many are interested to know more about adoption statistics. Overall, adoption statistics are limited. The U.S. Department of State collects data on intercountry adoptions by country, State, and year. Domestically, individual States submit public adoption data semiannually to the Administration for Children and Families through the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS). It remains difficult, however, to determine the total number of adoptions in the United States, as there is no official authority tasked with compiling the number of private domestic adoptions.

As the landscape of adoption remains somewhat undefined, adoption data from court records, offices of vital records, and other State Government entities as well as non-Federal sources can help fill the gap. Below, find links to various sources of adoption statistics (domestic and intercountry) as well as the most recent national estimates.
  1. Review the most recent AFCARS trends related to children who are adopted from the foster care system (by fiscal year).   
  2. Find intercountry adoption statistics on the U.S. Department of State website. This table includes data from fiscal years 1999 through 2016, including numbers per U.S. State and sending country.
  3. Read Child Welfare Information Gateway's publication, Trends in U.S. Adoptions: 2008-2012 (PDF - 972 KB), to access best estimates of the number of children adopted in each State for 2008-2012.
Events 


Great Balls of Fire 9-Ball Billiards Challenge
Benefiting the Kyle E/ Fisher Fund at Ability Connection Colorado
Saturday, February 10, 2018
10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
The Wynkoop Brewery
1634 18th St, Denver, CO  80202

Join Colorado firefighters for a fun-filled day of billiards and support at-risk children receive the critical services they need.  

For more information or to register, click here.

 
2018 Heritage Adoption Camps 

Heritage Adoption Camps provide your adopted children with an opportunity to learn about the culture of their birth family.  Giving your adopted children a true sense of who they are -- from both the birth perspective and from their place in your family -- will give them a better sense of self.

African/Caribbean  June 7-10  
Denver, CO  Register Feb 19
 
Chinese  August 31 - Sept 3   
Fraser, CO  Register March 12
 
Chinese II  July 19-22  
Denver, CO  Register Feb 26
 
Domestic Adoption  June 28-July 1  
Denver, CO  Register March 5
 
Indian/Nepalese  July 5-8  
Fraser, CO  Register Feb 26
 
Korean  June 14-17  
Fraser, CO  Register Feb 19
 
Latin American  June 21-24  
Fraser, CO  Register Feb 19
 
Russian/Eastern European/Central Asian (REECA)  July 19-22  Fraser, CO  Register Feb 26
 
Southeast Asian/Pacific Islander (SEAPI)  
July 12-15  Estes Park, CO  Register March 5
 


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.

Boulder Valley Christian Church
Support group for foster and adoptive moms
Tuesdays, 10:00 am to noon, beginning Feb. 7, 2017 
Facilitated by Lisa Firle, MA., LPCC
Boulder Valley Christian Church, 7100 S. Boulder Road, Boulder.
For more info or to register: cathy@bvchristian.org

Parents of Children with PTSD or Dissociative Disorder
Starts November 4, 2016
First Friday of the month
Denver Therapy & Consultation Group
2133 S Bellaire, Ste 11
$25 per person or $40 couple
Some scholarships are available.
For more information, contact Jan Tomski at jantomski@msn.com or by phone at 303-881-7630.

Adult Adoptee Support Group
Every 1st & 3rd Thursday, 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sondermind, Suite 12, 100 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, CO 80302
Cost $25-$35

Jefferson County Kids Group
Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian, 11500 W. 20th Ave, Lakewood 
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.. 
RSVP to Mindy Beckler at 303-432-5205

North Adams Grandfamily Support Group
Third Thursday of the month
Brighton Police Department, 3401 E Bromley Ln, Brighton, 80601. RSVP to Janet at 303-637-8113.

Fathers Forever
2nd & 4th Thursdays
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Resilience Center,  1298 Peoria St,  Aurora, CO  80011
For more information, contact Don Reynolds (720-353-6103) or Aaron Lockwood (303-901-4486).
 
Grandparent Group
2nd & 4th Wednesdays
9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Aurora Mental Health Center in the Early Childhood & Family Dept.
11059 E Bethany Dr., Suite 101, Aurora, CO  80014
For more information, contact Aline Ratliff (303-885-5163).
 
Foster Care & Adoptive Parents Support Group
Last Sunday of every month from 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Discovery Church,  2605 W 144th Ave, Broomfield, CO  80023
For more information, email bonnie.robertson02@yahoo.com
  
Online Support Group for Adoptive, Foster, & Kinship Parents
Second Tuesday of the Month
Morning session 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Evening session 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Session includes a short presentation followed by a discussion.  
Email Deb Felio at
for the toll-free number and access code.
 
Adoptive Parents Support Group
1st Tuesday of the month   
February 3 - May 5, 2015
5:30pm-7:00pm
Supervised activities and group therapy for children
Lakewood Nazarene Church
Lakewood, CO
RSVP to Family Support Specialist, Mindi Bekler, 720-251-5876

Teen & Tween Adoption Support for Parents
Potluck
2nd & 4th Monday of each month
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Resilience Center
1298 Peoria St
Aurora, C O 80011

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
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

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 timpaxton33@gmail.com.
 
  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 SarahA@bipr.org 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

Aurora Mental Health
Adoption Support Group
2nd & 4th Mondays of the month
Aurora Mental Health
11059 E Bethany Drive, Aurora, CO 80014

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 Littleton@empowercolorado.com

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:  eleslie15@gmail.com 
 
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 colleen.tarket@cocaf.org.  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