Center For Adoption Support And Education Inc

THE CENTER FOR ADOPTION SUPPORT AND EDUCATION, INC. (C.A.S.E.) PROVIDES PRE- AND POST-PERMANENCY COUNSELING AND EDUCATION SERVICES TO FOSTER, KINSHIP, AND ADOPTIVE FAMILIES, EDUCATORS, CHILD WELFARE STAFF, AND MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS IN THE MARYLAND, NORTHERN VIRGINIA, AND WASHINGTON, D.C. AREAS. C.A.S.E. COMBINES BEST PRACTICE AND INNOVATION TO PROVIDE SPECIALIZED THERAPY, TRAINING, AND RESOURCES TO SUPPORT PERMANENCY FOR CHILDREN AND PROMOTE THE HEALTHY GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF FAMILIES, BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY.

COUNSELING - AS A PRIVATE, NONPROFIT SUPPORT CENTER FOR ADOPTIVE FAMILIES, EACH YEAR C.A.S.E. PROVIDES CULTURALLY SENSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO OVER 2,044 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 YOUTH, ADOPTEE'S, AND THEIR FAMILIES. POST-PERMANENCY CARE INVOLVES EARLY INTERVENTION MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT ADOPTIVE FAMILIES CAN THRIVE. C.A.S.E. STAFF ARE A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM 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 EVIDENCED 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-ADOPTION MENTAL HEALTH AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND SUPPORTS. IN 2023, 106 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 AND 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 2023, 222 FAMILIES HAVE BEEN SERVED.

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, 33 STATE CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES ARE EITHER HOSTING OR ACTIVELY PROMOTING NTI WITH THEIR STAFF AND ANOTHER 20 LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL CHILD WELFARE OR MENTAL HEALTH PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE INTEGRATED NTI INTO PRACTICE. IN 2023, AN ADDITIONAL 2,035 PROFESSIONALS ENROLLED IN NTI WITH MORE THAN 22,400 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 ON 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 CHILD WELFARE 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. ALL OF OUR SERVICES WILL UTILIZE A RACIAL AND BROADER EQUITY LENS. C.A.S.E. HAS ENGAGED SEVEN NATIONAL PARTNERS TO HELP LEAD THIS INITIATIVE.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 ON 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 CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE, COMPREHENSIVE, AND ACCESSIBLE POST-ADOPTION SERVICES.

EDUCATION RESOURCES AND TRAININGS - C.A.S.E.'S TRAINING PROGRAMS AND EDUCATIONAL FORUMS INTEGRATE THEORY, RESEARCH, AND BEST AND INNOVATIVE PRACTICES DESIGNED BY OUR EXPERTS IN PRE- AND POST-ADOPTION SUPPORT TO MEET THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL FOSTER AND ADOPTION COMMUNITIES. IN 2023, 5,433 REGISTRANTS SIGNED UP FOR 11 STRENGTHENING YOUR FAMILY WEBINARS AND 1,136 INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED IN 23 CUSTOMIZED TRAININGS AND WORKSHOPS PROVIDED BY C.A.S.E. STAFF TO PARENTS IN PROFESSIONALS VIA CONTRACTING ORGANIZATIONS. THREE WISE UP! TRAIN THE TRAINER WORKSHOPS WERE OFFERED WITH 12 NEW ORGANIZATIONS BECOMING LICENSED WISE UP! SITES. C.A.S.E. ALSO OFFERED THREE TOPICAL, SIX-WEEK PARENT SUPPORT GROUP SERIES WITH 105 PARENTS PARTICIPATING. ADDITIONALLY, C.A.S.E. STAFF PARTICIPATED IN THREE NATIONALLY BROADCAST PODCASTS. C.A.S.E. DELIVERED 743 IN-DEMAND EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS TO SUPPORT FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS.SCHOOL BASED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TRAINING - IN 2023, C.A.S.E. ADAPTED THE NTI TRAINING FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO ASSURE SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, INCLUDING SCHOOL COUNSELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, THERAPISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS AND ADMINISTRATORS, WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS THE MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES OF STUDENTS WITH EXPERIENCES OF ADOPTION, FOSTER CARE, AND KINSHIP CARE IN PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND CHARTER K-12 GRADES. MANY OF THESE STUDENTS EXPERIENCE ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL/PEER CHALLENGES DUE TO THEIR EARLY ADVERSE EXPERIENCES COMBINED WITH INTERRUPTIONS IN LEARNING RESULTING FROM MULTIPLE MOVES AND PLACEMENT CHANGES. THIS TRAINING WAS LAUNCHED IN SEPTEMBER 2023. IMPLEMENTATION IN LOCAL AND NATIONAL SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND EVALUATION ACTIVITIES ARE FUNDED BY PRIVATE FUNDING. THROUGH 2023, 559 SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS HAVE ENROLLED IN THE TRAINING.