The Value of Adoption Competent Therapy Isabel S., Lived Experience Advocate I was eight the first time I sat across from a therapist. I don't remember the room, only what was outside it: my family living in an old camper with no heat, no water, no electricity, and...
Strengthening Mental Health Through Connection, Collaboration, and Competency: Reflections from NAMICon 2026 The National Center for Adoption Competent Mental Health Services joined thousands of mental health professionals, advocates, individuals with lived...
Beyond Intervention: Why Foster Care Must Be Paired with Adoption Competent Mental Health Care Recent commentary from the Child Welfare Wonk article, Weekly Wonk: Foster Care as Children's Behavioral Health Policy, highlights a critical reality: foster care is...
When “Just Get Therapy” Isn’t That Simple: The Access Gap in Adoption Competent Care The Search That Few Talk About It often begins with hope. An insurance directory. A list of therapists who describe themselves as trauma-informed or child specialists. Then the...
Supporting Healing and Permanency Through Partnership in Navajo Nation Expanding access to adoption/permanency competent mental health services requires strong partnerships across multiple systems. On February 24 and 25, 2026, our Navajo Nation technical assistance...
Behavioral Health Capacity is a Permanency Strategy The Child Welfare Wonk (CWW) released an analysis titled "The Behavioral Health Ceiling on A Home for Every Child." The analysis argues that child welfare systems are constrained by behavioral health capacity,...
Caregiver Mental Health Support Guide Being a caregiver for a child or youth isn't easy. However, caring for children who have experienced trauma, loss, and identity disruptions can be especially challenging. Caregivers of children and youth with child welfare...
Building Trust After Trauma: Supporting Children in Adoptive and Foster Families Placement, no matter how well-intended, is a significant transition. Children and youth who have been impacted by child welfare often experience early trauma, loss, disrupted...
Evidence in Action: How Adoption Competency Is Strengthening Mental Health Services Findings from the effectiveness study confirm that adoption‑competent care is essential. When mental health professionals are trained in adoption competence, outcomes...
Building Access Through Partnership: Centene Invests in Illinois TAC Cohort for 2026 The National Center for Adoption Competent Mental Health Services is proud to partner with Centene to facilitate a Training for Adoption Competency (TAC) cohort in Illinois in...
Families First: Understanding Kinship Care One night, while relaxing at home, Kayla received a surprise call from child welfare. Her sister had been deemed unable to safely care for her three children due to untreated mental health challenges, substance...
Centering Lived Experience: Oklahoma Launches Lived Experience Competent Care Advisory Council The National Center, in partnership with our co-sponsor, the OU Center for Adoption and Family Well-Being, was proud to celebrate the successful launch events for the...
Interested in contributing to our blog? We welcome perspectives from professionals, systems leaders, policymakers, advocates, and youth and families working to advance adoption competent mental health. If you’d like to contribute to a future blog, please reach out to us at bader@adoptionsupport.org
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