We will support States, Tribes, and territories (STTs) in building bridges between child welfare systems and state mental health systems, which is key to bringing about systemic change to improve the mental health outcomes for children and families impacted by the child welfare system.
Funded by the United States Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, Children’s Bureau in October 2023, the National Center for Adoption Competent Mental Health Services will provide targeted technical assistance and evidence-informed training to strengthen coordination and capacity among child welfare and mental health systems to ensure that children, young adults, and families have access to mental health professionals who are trained to provide child welfare competent mental health services to address separation, grief, trauma, and other challenges that can arise. This National Center represents an important way that the Children’s Bureau provides technical assistance to State, Tribes, and territories.
The National Center will work together with The National Center for Diligent Recruitment and The National Center for Enhanced Post-Adoption Support on behalf of the Children’s Bureau to improve the safety, permanency, and well-being of children through productive partnerships with States, Tribes, and communities.
The National Center has a three-tiered approach to achieving success:
The National Center will work with national leaders as well as parents and youth and young adults with lived experience to deliver new and enhanced support and training to States, Tribal Nations, territories, and professionals to meet the needs of children and families. The Center will provide intensive technical assistance to six States, Tribal Nations, and territories each year and will be funded at $4 million for each year of the five-year award.
— Helen Keller
For two decades, the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) has been developing and providing specialized mental health services to thousands of foster, kinship and adoptive families. Through this pioneering work (and the work of our contributing partners), C.A.S.E. was a awarded a 5-year cooperative agreement to fund the National Center for Adoption Competent Mental Health Services by the United States Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, Children’s Bureau.
Funded through the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau, Grant #90CO1145
The contents of this website do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the funder, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
