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Adoption Topics       Education        Health Care       Legislative Info       Services & Resources   

In This Issue
Smile & Donate!
Sensory Friendly Events
Members of Congress
Adoption Data
Please Participate
PEP FREE Conferences
Free Curriculum
Foster Youth Intern Program
Child Welfare Outcomes
Belonging Matters
New Site for Professionals
Stopping Child Abuse
Cultural Identity in Adoption
Developing Secure Attachments
Family First Prevention Services Act
Single Parent Adoption
Support Groups

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CLASSROOM
2019 TBRI®: Caregiver Training
WEBINARS
CONFERENCES
Relative Raising Children
Friday
November 8, 2019
8:00 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Click here for more info.

Kids' Adoption Network (KAN) Conference
Saturday
November 16, 2019
9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
McLean School
8224 Lochinver Lane
Potomac, MD 20854

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:
Sensory Friendly Events 

Longmont Get Air Trampoline Park
2251 Ken Pratt Blvd, 
Longmont, CO 80501
Every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Big Air - $13, Little Air - $9
Dedicated time just for jumpers with special needs. Music is played at a lower volume and the park's atmosphere is calmer. One parent or guardian can support jumpers on the trampoline for free. Siblings of jumpers are welcome to jump for the same price but should be more careful during this time.

*A Special Time Just For You is not available during blackout dates or holidays.
 
Chuck E Cheese Sensory Sensitive Sundays
1st Sunday of every month
9:00 - 11:00
Select Chuck E Cheese locations below will be open 2 hours early on the first Sunday of every month, specifically for children with autism and other special needs. 
 
* Reduced lighting and noise
* Food and games offered
* Trained and caring staff 
 
COLORADO SPRINGS
2925 GEYSER DRIVE

FT COLLINS
105 W PROSPECT RD

LITTLETON
7510 PARKWAY DR

SUPERIOR
305 MARSHALL ROAD
 
CO Springs - SF Storytime Pikes Peak Library District: 21C
2nd Monday of every month
1:30 - 2:00pm
 
1175 Chapel Hills Dr., 
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
 
Sensory Story Time : Interactive story time that is especially welcoming for children on the autism spectrum and families who are looking for a smaller, more adaptive library experience. Call 719.884.9800 x6310 if you have any questions.
 
 
Denver Aquarium Low Sensory Morning
2nd Sunday of every month
8:30 - 9:45am
 
Downtown Aquarium
700 Water St
Denver, CO 80211, USA

Denver Aquarium has started offering a low-sensory morning with our ambient sounds and the flash flood exhibit turned off and lights turned up for a calmer, quieter time for any families that need it.  Sounds and lights get turned back on at 9:45am for the regular business day. 

The cost is the regular ticket price at our box office. 
Adults (12 - 64) are $20.50, Seniors (65+) are $19.50, Children (3-11) are $14.50
2 and under are free

 
Resources for Contacting Members of Congress

Find your legislators online:


Call the U.S. Capitol Switch Board to Connect with your legislators office by phone:
(202) 224-3121

A switchboard operator with connect you directly with a legislators office that you request. 
Adoption Data

Using information collected through various monitoring and reporting systems, the Children's Bureau analyzes and reports data on a variety of topics, including adoption, foster care, and child abuse and neglect.

FREE RESOURCES
 
The holidays are right around the corner, and with the holidays come triggers galore!  Be extra patient with your children as they try to maneuver the overstimulation of the holidays, past traumas, and new joys.  Every child deserves all the love the holidays have to give.

Wishing you peace, love, and no calamities in 2019,
Colleen Tarket, 
COCAF Board of Directors
Please Participate:  Community Conversation on Behavioral Health Services for Colorado's Children & Youth 

Please join State Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Children's Hospital Colorado for a Community Conversation on Behavioral Health Services for Colorado's Children & Youth.  Governor Polis recently announced the creation of the Behavioral Health Task Force, along with a special subcommittee for children's behavioral health. As part of the subcommittee, Shannon Van Deman, Vice President of the Pediatric Mental Health Institute at Children's Hospital Colorado, and Rep. Michaelson Jenet will be working with members to map the landscape of children and youth behavioral health services in Colorado, identify gaps, and recommend fixes. To be successful in these efforts, thoughtful input from our community is needed. 
 
Event details:
Date: Wednesday, November 6
Time: 1:30pm-3:00pm
Location: Moorhead Recreation Center
 2390 Havana Street, Aurora, CO 80010
 
Seating is limited, so please RSVP to
advocacy@childrenscolorado.org for this opportunity to make your voice heard.

PEP FREE Conferences 

Parents Encouraging Parents (PEP) Conferences are designed for parents and professionals of children with disabilities, aged birth to 21.
 
Decades of research show that the participation of families in their child's education, through specific coordinating between home and school, results in improved outcomes (Jeynes, 2012).  PEP Conferences are designed to promote family and school partnerships that are essential in supporting students with disabilities and their families in schools and the community.

PEP brings parents and professionals together by sharing ideas, discussing concerns, celebrating successes and obtaining information related to parenting, educating and partnering to support student learning.  PEP Conferences are offered at no cost to attendees.
 
2020 PEP Dates:
1.   January 23 - 25, 2020 - Colorado Springs, CO
2.    April 2 - 4, 2020 - Grand Junction, CO
 
To learn more about PEP Conferences and to register, click here. Please note there is limited space for professionals.  
 
If you have additional questions, please contact Joyce Thiessen-Barrett at (303) 866-6757.

 
Free Curriculum for Agencies & Parent Groups 

Is your agency or parent group looking for a curriculum that would help prepare families to care for older youth with moderate to severe emotional and behavioral needs? CORE: Teen is a FREE training that can help!
Join Spaulding for Children, NACAC, and Embrace Families, FL , as we share information in three webinars about the CORE: Teen curriculum . Thanks to a three-year Cooperative Agreement from the Children's Bureau, this curriculum will be available at no cost.
The content is the same in each webinar; register for the date and time that work for you.

Foster Youth Intern Program 

The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) Foster Youth Intern Program is a competitive, highly esteemed congressional internship for students and recent graduates who spent significant time in foster care. Selected interns will be placed in the Washington, D.C. offices of Members of Congress from May 25 - July 31, 2020 and the candidate must be available for the entirety of the program to qualify. Interns receive a weekly stipend and housing during their assignment in Washington, D.C.


Annual Report:  Child Welfare Outcomes 

Child Welfare Outcomes, an annual report to Congress published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, details findings across the 50 states on issues related to child welfare, including the number of children in foster, child adopted from foster care, and child maltreatment issues. Click here to see the numbers for Colorado. Click here for national data.
Belonging Matters:  Helping Youth Explore Permanency 
From the Child Welfare Information Gateway

Belonging Matters - Helping Youth Explore Permanency, new bulletin from the Child Welfare Information Gateway, addresses helping youth in foster care explore their permanency options. Click here to read this bulletin.
 
AdoptUSKids Launches New Site for Professionals 
From the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC)
NACAC Logo
This fall, AdoptUSKids created a new platform to make it easier for child welfare professionals to find resources to help them do their job. 

On professionals.adoptuskids.org, you can access their archives of more than 100 AdoptUSKids publications-guides, tip sheets, webinar recordings, and articles-on topics related to recruiting and supporting families and gaining skills related to your work.

Each month, they're adding new publications and easy-to-digest articles for administrators and caseworkers.
One of the newest resources is a tool that states, Tribes, and territories can use to assess the quality and accessibility of the support they offer to adoptive, foster, and kinship families.

 
Stopping Child Abuse 
From the Child Welfare Information Gateway
Frightened scared young defenseless woman victim hiding from aggressive man suffer from physical abuse_ abusive husband threaten beat upset crying wife with fists_ fear of domestic violence concept
Reporting suspected child abuse is critical to stopping child abuse. Child abuse includes everything from physical abuse, to mental abuse and neglect. Read this Child Welfare Information Gateway bulletin on how to report suspected child maltreatment.

 
Cultural Identity in Adoption 
From the Child Welfare Information Gateway

Hands of child and adult. Black and white hand. Trust and support_ motherhood and childhood_ parent and son or daughter. Children of Africa. Family and love between mother and child
Families who adopt children from other racial, ethnic, or cultural backgrounds may face unique challenges. As children and youth form their racial and cultural identity, it is important for parents to gain awareness and learn how to help. The following resources support families and professionals involved in transracial/transcultural adoptions and share perspectives from people who were transracially adopted:
 
Developing Secure Attachments 
From the Child Welfare Information Gateway

father-daughter-kiss.jpg
Children who have experienced separation and loss and/or relational trauma may struggle with developing secure attachments. Early insecure attachments can negatively impact a child's brain structure and development, which can be displayed in a variety of ways. These problems may show themselves as developmental delays, difficulty with social relationships, struggles with emotional regulation, aggression, low self-esteem, and depression. Adoptive parents who are struggling with their child's attachment style and development should know that asking for help is a sign of strength; helping a child connect with a professional who is skilled in evidence-based attachment therapies can be paramount to the child making developmental gains and building connections with their caregiver(s).

Here are three resources on attachment:

 
Family First Prevention Services Act 

The Family First Prevention Services Act (Family First), signed into law on February 9, 2018, provides a historic opportunity for child welfare agencies and their partners to improve the lives of children and families touched by the child welfare system.

Family First's framework is built around three fundamental principles:
1. Help families whose children are at risk of removal stay together safely.
2. Ensure that children in foster care can live with a family.
3. Improve access to high quality residential treatment.

To read more about Family First and how it might help you, click here to go to the Children's Defense Fund's resource guide.
Single Parent Adoption 
From the Child welfare Information Gateway

dad_baby.jpg
More than a quarter of the children adopted from foster care in Federal fiscal year (FFY) 2017 were adopted by single people-almost 15,000 single women and nearly 2,000 single men adopted children from foster care in FFY 2017.

To read more about single parent adoption, click here.

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
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
First Friday of the month, 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
464 Inca St, Denver, CO 80204
$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 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Zion Lutheran Church, Fellowship Hall, 14th & Skeel, Brighton, CO RSVP to Elaine Riedl at 303-912-8337.

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 & Kinship Support Group
2nd & 4th Wednesdays
9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Aurora Mental Health Center, Viewpoint Office, Lotus Room
11059 E Bethany Dr., 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   
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.  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
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Aurora Mental Health
11059 E Bethany Drive, Aurora, CO 80014
Contact Sheila Reynolds 303-525-2123 or Stephanie Seriff 303-856-7698 for more information

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