CENTER FOR ADOPTION SUPPORT AND EDUCATION INC

NATIONAL INITIATIVES - THE NATIONAL ADOPTION COMPETENCY MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING INITIATIVE (NTI) (#90CO1144) AIMS TO ENHANCE THE CAPACITY OF CHILD WELFARE PROFESSIONALS AND MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS THE MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF CHILDREN MOVING TO OR HAVING ACHIEVED PERMANENCY THROUGH ADOPTION OR GUARDIANSHIP. THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE, CHILD WELFARE PROFESSIONALS AND MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS IN ALL STATES, TRIBES, AND TERRITORIES WILL HAVE ACCESS TO TWO STATE OF THE ART, EVIDENCE-INFORMED, STANDARDIZED WEB-BASED TRAININGS TO PROVIDE THE CASEWORK AND CLINICAL PRACTICES TO PROMOTE CHILD WELL-BEING AND FAMILY STABILITY. NTI WAS ESTABLISHED IN OCTOBER 2014 THROUGH A FIVE YEAR, $9 MILLION COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE CHILDREN'S BUREAU, ADMINISTRATION OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. THE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WAS EXTENDED THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2022 WITH ADDITIONAL $1 MILLION/YEAR SENATE APPROPRIATIONS FUNDING TO CONTINUE THE IMPLEMENTATION NATIONALLY. THE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WAS REFUNDED IN OCTOBER 2022 FOR FIVE YEARS, $10 MILLION, TO CONTINUE NATIONWIDE INFUSION AND IMPLEMENTATION WITHIN CHILD WELFARE SYSTEMS AND INCREASE UTILIZATION BY MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS ALONG WITH UPDATING THE CURRICULUM AND CONTINUING THE EVALUATION. SINCE 2019, 31 STATE CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES ARE EITHER HOSTING OR ACTIVELY PROMOTING NTI WITH THEIR STAFF AND ANOTHER 23 LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL CHILD WELFARE OR MENTAL HEALTH PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE INTEGRATED NTI INTO PRACTICE. IN 2024, AN ADDITIONAL 2,322 PROFESSIONALS ENROLLED IN NTI WITH MORE THAN 24,722 INDIVIDUALS ENROLLING IN NTI SINCE 2017.C.A.S.E. WAS AWARDED A NEW FIVE YEAR INITIATIVE FOR $20 MILLION IN SEPTEMBER 2023, TO CREATE THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ADOPTION COMPETENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. THIS INITIATIVE WAS FUNDED THROUGH A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT (#90CO1145) WITH THE CHILDREN'S BUREAU, ADMINISTRATION OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ADOPTION COMPETENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AIMS TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHO EXPERIENCED CHILD WELFARE SYSTEMS BY PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN CHILD WELFARE AND MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEMS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO THE ADOPTION COMPETENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THAT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES NEED. C.A.S.E. WILL WORK WITH NATIONAL LEADERS AS WELL AS PARENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE TO PROVIDE A CONTINUUM OF SERVICES TO SUPPORT CROSS-SYSTEM COLLABORATION BETWEEN CHILD WELFARE SYSTEMS AND MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEMS. C.A.S.E. WILL OFFER SERVICES RANGING FROM ARTICLES, WEBINARS, AND PEER LEARNING COMMUNITIES TO HANDS-ON, TAILORED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA) TO DELIVER NEW AND ENHANCED SUPPORT AND TRAINING TO STATES, TRIBES, TERRITORIES, AND PROFESSIONALS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. C.A.S.E. HAS ENGAGED FIVE NATIONAL PARTNERS AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO HELP LEAD THIS INITIATIVE. CURRENTLY, C.A.S.E. IS PROVIDING INTENSIVE TA TO THREE NATIONAL SITES AND ONE TRIBAL NATION. C.A.S.E. IS A PARTNER WITH SPAULDING FOR CHILDREN, THE LEAD AGENCY, ON A NATIONAL INITIATIVE TO CREATE A NATIONAL CENTER FOR ENHANCED POST-ADOPTION SUPPORT. THIS INITIATIVE WAS FUNDED THROUGH A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE CHILDREN'S BUREAU, ADMINISTRATION OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES IN OCTOBER 2023. THE POST-ADOPTION CENTER WILL SERVE AS A HUB FOR POST-ADOPTION EXPERTISE AND EVIDENCE-INFORMED TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT STATES, TRIBAL NATIONS, AND TERRITORIES AROUND THE COUNTRY AS THEY DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT RESPONSIVE, COMPREHENSIVE, AND ACCESSIBLE POST-ADOPTION SERVICES.

COUNSELING - AS A PRIVATE, NONPROFIT MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT CENTER FOR ADOPTIVE, KINSHIP, AND FOSTER YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES, EACH YEAR C.A.S.E. PROVIDES ADOPTION COMPETENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO OVER 1,706 PROSPECTIVE FOSTER, KINSHIP, AND ADOPTIVE FAMILIES AND ADOPTIVE YOUTH/TEENS, ADULT ADOPTEE'S AND THEIR FAMILIES, IN MARYLAND, NORTHERN VIRGINIA, AND WASHINGTON, D.C. C.A.S.E. ADDRESSES COMMON DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES FREQUENTLY SHARED BY FOSTER/KINSHIP YOUTH, ADOPTEE'S, AND THEIR FAMILIES. POST-ADOPTION CARE INVOLVES EARLY INTERVENTION MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES CAN THRIVE. C.A.S.E. STAFF ARE A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM TRAINED IN C.A.S.E.'S ACCREDITED EVIDENCE-BASED TRAINING FOR ADOPTION COMPETENCY (TAC) TRAINING BRINGING TOGETHER EXPERTISE IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL WORK, FAMILY THERAPY, TRAUMA INFORMED CARE, EXPRESSIVE THERAPY, AND EDUCATION TO ADDRESS THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THIS POPULATION. C.A.S.E. COMBINES BEST PRACTICES AND INNOVATION TO PROVIDE PREMIERE COUNSELING SERVICES TO ADVANCE PERMANENCY FOR CHILDREN AND THE HEALTHY GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF FAMILIES.WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS, THE DAVE THOMAS FOUNDATION FOR ADOPTION HAS AWARDED C.A.S.E. A GRANT TO IMPLEMENT THE WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS EVIDENCE-BASED PROACTIVE, CHILD-FOCUSED RECRUITMENT MODEL IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND TARGETED EXCLUSIVELY ON MOVING THE LONGEST-WAITING CHILDREN FROM FOSTER CARE INTO ADOPTIVE FAMILIES.C.A.S.E. HAS CONTRACTED WITH THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO HELP CHILDREN AGED 18 AND YOUNGER WHO HAVE BEEN ADOPTED FROM FOSTER CARE TO GROW IN PERMANENT, STABLE, LOVING FAMILIES. THIS STATE-WIDE PROGRAM DELIVERS SPECIALIZED POST-PERMANENCY MENTAL HEALTH AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND SUPPORT. IN 2024, 98 FAMILIES HAVE BEEN SERVED.C.A.S.E. IS LEADING THE NORTHERN POST ADOPTION CASE CONSORTIUM INITIATIVE, PARTNERING WITH CHILDREN'S HOME SOCIETY OF VIRGINIA, ENCIRCLE THROUGH FUNDING FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO OFFER POST-ADOPTION CASE MANAGEMENT AND CLINICAL SERVICES TO HELP ADOPTIVE FAMILIES IN VIRGINIA ACCESS APPROPRIATE SERVICES AND RESOURCES THROUGH COMMUNITY-BASED LINKAGE AND REFERRAL, EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY. IN 2024, 224 FAMILIES HAVE BEEN SERVED.