National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training Initiative

C.A.S.E. staff members Tamara L. Burke, LPC, LCPC, MA, Chiara Jones,MSW and Board Member Beverly Woodard particiapted in the Prince George's County National Adoption Day.

C.A.S.E donated backpacks provided by Jockey Being Family to all of the families that finalized an adoption.


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We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new and improved website!🎉 🎉 Our URL remains www.adoptionsupport.org, yet the revamped site is tailored to enhance user experience, boost performance, and offer even more valuable content.
Here are a few of the key changes:
- User-Friendly Interface: The new website features a modern, intuitive design that makes navigation easy and enjoyable.
- Enhanced Content: We have updated and expanded our content to provide more comprehensive information about our products & services.
- Improved Speed and Reliability: The website has been optimized for speed and reliability, ensuring a smoother browsing experience.
- Mobile Responsiveness: Our website is now fully responsive on all devices, making it accessible on smartphones, tablets, and desktops.
· Search Functionality: A robust search feature has been integrated to help users quickly find the information they need.

Please explore all our new site has to offer and share your thoughts, suggestions via email to [email protected].

www.adoptionsupport.org

C.A.S.E. participated in the Children’s Bureau 2023 National Adoption Month Celebration yesterday. CEO Debbie Riley was a guest speaker and C.A.S.E. team members Dawn Wilson, Ashley Garcia-Rivera, Laura Ornelas and Mary Wichansky were on hand to recognize the 2023 Adoption Excellence Award honorees!

C.A.S.E.'s Dawn Wilson, Director, National Training Institute presented at a Congressional Briefing this morning, addressing the adoption from foster care workforce crisis. Dawn focused on workforce issues related to mental health and post-adoption support and was joined on the panel by Patrick Lester, Executive Director of Voice for Adoption, Melinda Lis, Vice President
Spaulding for Children and La Tika Smith, an advocate for adopted youth.

Today at 2:00pm EST, the NTI team is presenting (Re)Ignite Your Spark! Webinar at the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute's September 2023 Workforce Development Month Event. (Re)Ignite Your Spark! will explore strategies and skills to address challenges and help recognize when we are making a difference, and reigniting the spark that compelled us to do this work in the first place. Register here:https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ejxf7m6m66f7a279&oseq=&c=&ch=

This morning, C.A.S.E. hosted the Nurturing Minds: Exploring Mental Health Resources for Adoptive, Foster, and Kinship Families Forum for school-based professionals in the Washington Metropolitn area. During the forum Debbie Riley, C.A.S.E. CEO, shared resources offered by C.A.S.E. that support creating an inclusive space for children and teens touched by adoption, kinship and foster care. The forum included an interactive panel of C.A.S.E. Emerging Leaders who shared their lived experiences.

Hear The Center for Adoption Support and Education CEO, Debbie Riley, LCMFT, discuss strategies for parents to share their adopted child’s story with love and empathy, including more about her book on this topic,
Beneath the Mask: Understanding Adopted Teens.
Purchase a copy of the book here - https://store.adoptionsupport.org/product/BTM-B/beneath-the-mask-understanding-adopted-teens

SPONSORED The Place: Talking to your kids about their adoption Founder of The Center for Adoption Support and Education Debbie Riley, LCMFT, joins us to discuss strategies for parents to share their adopted child’s story with love and empathy, including more about her book on this topic, Beyond the Mask: Understanding Adopted Teens.

C.A.S.E. is hosting its 22nd Annual Golf Tournament benefiting adoptive, kinship and foster families on Friday, September 8, 2023 ⛳ at Whiskey Creek Golf⁠ Course.
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A variety of sponsorship opportunities are still available. ⁠
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Please register your foursome now and plan to join us on the course to support our efforts in providing the highest quality of mental health services, trainings and resources for the families that need us. ⁠
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Click here for more info: http://adoptionsupport.org/golf

July Strengthening Your Family Webinar:
Supporting Black Adoptive and Kinship Families

Thursday, July 27, 2023 | 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm EST
Extended Access Available July 28 - August 28, 2023

Presented by Lynne White Dixon, LCSW, Clinical Social Worker

This presentation will explore the unique dynamics in parenting for Black Adoptive and Kinship Families. The Seven Core Issues in Adoption & Permanency are considered through an African American/Black lens. Tools and strategies for supporting Black adopted children and their families, including addressing racism when parenting, will be discussed.

Register Here: https://adoptionsupport.org/syfwebinars/

The first 600 registrants are FREE!

Real Talk: Heart to Heart Discussion Panel
for Baltimore City Adoptive, Foster and Kinship Families

Join us in a safe, non-judgmental space for some real talk about challenges and solutions to issues that effect the well-being and future of our children and families in Baltimore City.

The Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) and Maryland Family Network will host an interactive discussion with a panel of adoptive, foster and kinship parents from your community who have used C.A.S.E.'s FREE services.

Learn from the sincere and unique experiences of families just like yours, touched by adoption, kinship/guardianship care and foster care.

The first 25 registrants who attend will receive a $20 Visa Gift Card.

Link below to register.

FOR BALTIMORE CITY FAMILIES: Heart to Heart: Real Talk for Kinship, Guardianship and Adoptive Families in Baltimore City Join us for a dynamic and interactive panel discussion on navigating the foster care system on 6/28 at 6pm.

Free Summer Support Group – Parent Lunch Bunch
June 15, 2023 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Hop on Zoom for an hour and connect with other Maryland parents who really get it. There are no power point slides or lecturing in this group – it’s a totally open hour for parents to share and connect. The group facilitator, an experienced family therapist, creates a safe and open space for caregivers to feel truly heard and seen. We encourage folks in this group to make connections with others in their area offline and in person. How great would it be to find someone with a family like yours to have a coffee or play date with? Come all weeks or drop in when you can.

This 6 session virtual support group will be held on the following Thursdays (drop-in):
Jun. 15th, Jun. 22nd, Jun. 29th, Jul. 6th, Jul. 13th, Jul. 20th

Register here: https://store.adoptionsupport.org/product/PARENTSUPPORTGROUsummerlunchbunchP/summer-support-group-parent-lunch-bunch?_ga=2.259303426.944185511.1685971515-1377533627.1678816963&_gl=1*13pbnn5*_ga*MTM3NzUzMzYyNy4xNjc4ODE2OTYz*_ga_2ZQXKHY2XS*MTY4NTk3OTE3NS4xOTMuMS4xNjg1OTgwMTM3LjAuMC4w

Join our support group designed for LGBTQ+ identifying parents seeking community. Participants will share their stories, experiences, and lives in ways that help strengthen their sense of belonging while learning about best practices in navigating the common obstacles LGBTQ+ families face.

This 6-session virtual support group will be held on the following Wednesdays (drop-in):
Jun. 21st, Jun. 28th, Jul. 5th, Jul. 12th, Jul. 26th, Aug. 2nd

*Please note the group meets weekly, but will NOT meet on Jul. 19th and attendance certificates will not be given for this group.

Register below.

LGBTQ+ Parents: A Support Group This support group is intended as an opportunity for parents to network with other parents and learn strategies to support themselves and their children. Each participant needs to register (including spouses/partners who will be joining the group sessions). There are a limited number of seats.

Today the Surgeon General issues a new advisory about the effects of social media use on youth mental health. “The most common question parents ask me is, ‘is social media safe for my kids’. The answer is that we don't have enough evidence to say it's safe, and in fact, there is growing evidence that social media use is associated with harm to young people’s mental health,” said U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. “Children are exposed to harmful content on social media, ranging from violent and sexual content, to bullying and harassment. And for too many children, social media use is compromising their sleep and valuable in-person time with family and friends. We are in the middle of a national youth mental health crisis, and I am concerned that social media is an important driver of that crisis – one that we must urgently address.”

www.hhs.gov

Navigating the Foster Care System: A Panel Discussion of Experts with Lived Experience. In recognition of National Foster Care Month, register for our May Strengthening Your Family (S*F) Webinar. This engaging discussion will provide best practices for foster care from adults with lived and policy advocacy experience.
Thursday, May 18, 2023 | 1:00PM – 2:30PM EST
Extended Access Available May 19 – Jun. 19, 2023
Use coupon code CARE at checkout to receive your FREE registration.
https://adoptionsupport.org/event/syf-webinar-navigating-the-foster-care-system-a-panel-discussion-of-experts-with-lived-experience/

Parent Support Group: Treading Water is Harder Than it Seems
Join us for a virtual support group starting on Wed. May 3rd at 7:00PM EST.
Topics will include:
- How trauma, loss and grief tend to show up in behavior
- Strategies to help children (and ourselves) identify and cope with grief
- Attachment strategies when a child’s behavior seems to push us away
-How to depersonalize behavior
- When to pull out your own life preserver
This support group provides an opportunity for parents to network with other parents and learn strategies to support themselves and their children.

Register Today!

Parent Support Group: Treading Water is Harder Than it Seems Heading into adoptive parenting can be hard? Join us for a virtual support group starting on Wed. May 3rd at 7:00PM EST. Register Today!

Angela Tucker, transracial adoptee, author and educator points to the WISE Up model developed by the Center for Adoption Support and Education, which was designed for adoptive situations but works well for any family facing undue scrutiny:

1- Walk away: Kids can choose to ignore what was said or heard. They don’t owe anyone a response if they don’t want to.

2- It’s private: It’s important for kids to know that they are not indebted to anyone. Just because the world is nosy about families who don’t fit the mold does not mean those families are obligated to satisfy that curiosity.

3- Share something: If they want, kids can share something about their adoption story. It can be a small detail, such as where they were born or something they like about being adopted.

4- Educate: Instead of getting personal, kids can educate the asker about adoption in general.
WISE Up! and other adoption and foster care publications can be purchased at www.adoptionsupport.org.

'There is no dad in our family': How parents have helped their kids navigate questions about their households Kids who come from adoptive, multiethnic or LGBTQ families are often fielding uncomfortable questions — but don't owe anyone an explanation.

Win a vacation for two! Tickets still available. Each ticket purchase enters you for a chance to win your choice of one of 4 Getaway Trips — Belize, California Wine Country, U.S. Open Tennis Championship or the Kennedy Space Center. The raffle supports mental health services for the adoption, foster, and kinship care communities!

Gala 2023 Getaway Raffle Ticket Only 300 tickets available! Each ticket purchase enters you for a chance to win your choice of one of 4 Getaway Trips! One winner will be randomly selected no later than 4/24/23. You do not need to be present to win.

Register now for a FREE six-week support group for LGBTQIA+ teens. The group is open to teen adoptees in grades 9 – 12 who reside in Maryland, DC, or the Northern region of Virginia and whose adoption has been finalized. The group will focus on supporting LGBTQIA+ teens, anywhere from questioning to out and proud, navigate their identity exploration within the context of their adoption story. Teens will explore the complexities of one’s identity formation, navigating difficult conversations with family/friends around their sexual/gender identities, while providing a safe space to share feelings and thoughts about their identity exploration.

Please note that this group will meet every other week until the last two weeks, when it will meet sequentially.
Register and learn more here: https://adoptionsupport.org/event/teen-identity-support-group-rainbow-identities/

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Win a vacation for two! Only 300 tickets available. Each ticket purchase enters you for a chance to win your choice of one of 4 Getaway Trips — Belize, California Wine Country, U.S. Open Tennis Championship or the Kennedy Space Center. One winner will be randomly selected no later than 4/24/23. https://store.adoptionsupport.org/product/GALARAFFLE23/gala-2023-getaway-raffle-ticket?_ga=2.187432232.1895728075.1678980976-1377533627.1678816963&_gl=1*1v1qx22*_ga*MTM3NzUzMzYyNy4xNjc4ODE2OTYz*_ga_2ZQXKHY2XS*MTY3ODk4MDk3OS44OS4xLjE2Nzg5ODE0MjguMC4wLjA.

C.A.S.E. closes out Black History Month by honoring Dorothy Pitman Hughes - born 1938, is a social welfare advocate, feminist and African-American activist. When she was 10 years old, her father was beaten and left for dead, a crime the family believes was committed by Ku Klux Klan members. She decided as a child that she would devote her life to activism. Hughes owned and operated three early childcare centers, and an office supply business in Harlem. She co-founded the New York City Agency for Child Development, providing child welfare services, education services and juvenile justice services. In addition, Hughes organized the first shelter for battered women in New York City and co-founded the New York City Agency for Child Development, pioneering child-care and noting that "too many women were being forced to leave their children home alone while they worked to feed their families". Pitman Hughes also co-founded with Gloria Steinem the Women's Action Alliance, a pioneering national information center that specialized in nonsexist, multiracial children's education, in 1971. The two women toured together speaking about race, class and gender throughout the 1970s.

Join us Tuesday, March 7th, as we welcome author Matthew Anthony, Afro-Surrealist theopoet, essayist, adoptee, and host of The Little Did U Know podcast, as he reads powerful material centering the voices of impacted people, while challenging the listener to examine the humanity of existing systems related to adoption and race.
Having been displaced from their family as infants via closed private transnational adoption, the bodies of Matthew and his twin were purchased, & trafficked into a sundown town. Matthew’s work is rooted in a lovegrief which persists and is wholly interested and invested in co-creating Black (Adoptee) Futures wherein we are not under siege by those who claim Whiteness. Matthew Anthony is an Afro-Surrealist theopoet , essayist, & host of little did u know: an abolitionist podcast that seeks to reveal the precarity inherent in transnational/racial adoption and dream of a new future by centering the voices of impacted people.

Today C.A.S.E. honors Dr. Joseph Crumbley. Dr. Crumbley received his masters and doctorate in social work from the University of Pennsylvania. For 38 years he was in private practice as a family therapist, trainer and consultant. His clinical experience includes adoption, transracial adoption, foster care, chemical dependency, couples therapy, physical / sexual abuse and kinship care. Dr. Crumbley is now retired doing keynotes and speaking engagements.
He has provided training and consultation nationally and internationally. Nationally, Dr. Crumbley has consulted with Spaulding for Children, Casey Family Programs, Casey Family Services, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Brookdale Foundation, the Child Welfare League of America and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Internationally, he has worked with Renmin (the People’s) University of China in Beijing China, the New Zealand Ministry of Children and Family Services, the Ministry of Children and Youth in Ontario Canada, the British Association for Adoption and Fostering, and the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect in Durban, South Africa. He has provided expert testimony on kinship care to the U.S Senate, U.S House of Representatives, the United Nations and Philadelphia City Council.
Dr. Crumbley has co-authored a book with Robert Little entitled Relatives Raising Children: An Overview of Kinship Care. His second book is entitled Transracial Adoptions and Foster Care. Both books were published by the Child Welfare League of America.

Today C.A.S.E. honors Marian Wright Edelman - born 1939, is a steadfast advocate for children’s rights. She graduated from Yale Law School and became the first Black woman to be admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1964. In addition to working on racial justice and civil rights issues, she helped establish the Head Start Program, giving low-income families access to important early childhood programs and services.
In 1973, Edelman founded the Children’s Defense Fund, eventually persuading Congress to overhaul foster care, support adoption, improve childcare and better protect children who have a disability, are experiencing homelessness or have experienced abuse or neglect.

We are excited to announce that will be the emcee at our 25th Anniversary Gala! If you are in the Washington DC metro area, purchase a ticket today and join us at The Hamilton Hotel on Saturday, April 22, 2023. If you are unable to join in person, there are many ways for you to show your support for adopted, foster and kinship care families. Click here for more information. https://store.adoptionsupport.org/25thanniversarygala

CASE 25th Anniversary Gala: Kym Whitley Gala Tickets adoptionsupport.org/gala 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄, 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 & 𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐒𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐁𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐋: http://bit.ly/CASEYTSubscribeCenter for Adoption Support a...

Today C.A.S.E. honors Carrie Steele Logan. Mrs. Logan worked as an individual to care for abandoned children, first in her own home and later in orphanage she built by selling her house. Her orphan home founded in 1888 still exists today in Atlanta, Georgia as a private institution renamed the Carrie Steele-Pitt Group Home. Mrs. Steele worked as a maid in an Atlanta railroad station. When children were abandoned in the train cars, she began rescuing and caring for them. Mrs. Steele was not as prominent as Janie Porter Barrett or Fredericka Douglass Sprague Perry and did not use African American club women to help her set up her orphanage.

Today, for Black History Month C.A.S.E honors Dr. Sheryl Brissett Chapman, Ed.D., LHD, Ed.M., MSW, ACSW.
A passionate advocate and internationally recognized expert in child and family welfare. During her 29-year tenure at The National Center for Children and Families, Dr. Chapman has stewarded NCCF from a small, local orphanage to a nationally accredited organization, with a multimillion dollar budget.
A recipient of both a doctorate from the Harvard School of Education and a nonprofit executive certificate from the Stanford School of Business, as chief executive, she provides overall agency administrative oversight and consultative guidance for all programs. Dr. Chapman has more than 40 years of experience, collaborating and leading national, state and local human services programs, including de-institutionalizing the juvenile justice systems in New York City and the District of Columbia, establishing a child protection system in the Pacific Basin, addressing the status of African American children and youth in the public child welfare and homeless systems, guiding best practices for hospital based assessment and multidisciplinary intervention of victims of child sexual abuse and other maltreatment, as examples. Dr. Chapman is a tireless, and compassionate champion and advocate for those children and families in need within our community and is the lead author of a pending book publication by NASW Press, based on research on two hundred Black male youth placed in public systems in Maryland and the District of Columbia. As Trustee Emerita of her alma mater, Brown University, in 2019, she received an honorary doctorate of humane letters for her advocacy and nonprofit innovation.