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Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) is a national leader transforming the mental health of the Adoption, Foster, and Kinship Community.

Join us for a sparkling evening! 

Come celebrate with us to benefit the adoptive, foster, and kinship families we serve. Enjoy cocktails, dinner, DJ and dancing, live and silent auction and our C.A.S.E. Star awards.

Sponsorships, individual tickets and getaway raffle tickets are available.

Your participation provides critical operating funds for C.A.S.E. and helps more families thrive!

Purchase Tickets & Sponsorships

C.A.S.E. offers specialized adoption-competent in-person and teletherapy, case management, parent and teen support groups, and educational resources, including parent and professional trainings.

Our Vision

To create a world where every child and family connected to adoption, foster, and
kinship care thrives, embracing our individual and collective diversity.

Our Mission

Improving the well-being and permanence of children and their families by delivering adoption competent mental health services, training a national network of professionals, and informing the field through research and advocacy.

Who We Serve

Our highly trained adoption competent therapists are prepared to support the unique challenges of adoption, foster and kinship care. C.A.S.E. serves all individuals and families regardless of race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military or veteran status, or any other category protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Youth/Teens in Adoptive Families
Adoptive
Youth/Teens in Adoptive Families

Children, teens and parents connected to the adoption experience and the variety of concerns that arise at different stages of development.

Same sex parents hugging with adoptive children looking at tablet
Youth/Teens in Foster Families
Foster
Youth/Teens in Foster Families

Challenges that arise for youth in foster care, placed in an unfamiliar household, usually under traumatic circumstances; and for foster parents who seek to provide a stable, loving environment.

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Youth/Teens in Kinship Families
Kinship
Youth/Teens in Kinship Families

Children and teens who are raised by a family member – face similar challenges as other adoptive families. This type of care is referred to as a kinship family. Across the U.S., currently there are 2.5 million children and teens in kinship care.

 

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Adoptive, Foster or Kinship Lived Experience
Adults
Adoptive, Foster or Kinship Lived Experience

Adults with adoptive, foster or kinship lived experience – often have challenges appear at significant life transitions such as marriage, pregnancy or parenthood; and when considering search and reunion with their birth parents.

Mother and Child holding Peace Sign
Expectant & Birth Parents
Birth Parents
Expectant & Birth Parents

If are considering an adoption placement or if you have a child who has been placed in adoption, foster or kinship care, we are here to provide support and tools necessary to navigate the wide array of emotions surrounding this profound experience.

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Prospective & Waiting Adoptive Parents
Waiting Parents
Prospective & Waiting Adoptive Parents

If you are considering adopting a child or teen, C.A.S.E. will help you manage the complexities of the process.

Couple using laptop for webinar
Mother Daughter Bond - C.A.S.E.

Unique Challenges
of Adoption, Foster & Kinship Care

Due to traumatic life experiences and compromised beginnings, many children who are adopted, who are being raised by relatives (kinship care), or have experienced foster care have higher risks for developmental, health, emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges. In addition, there are oftentimes complex racial, ethnic, and cultural issues inherent in families who adopt transracially, transculturally. Understanding and addressing the impact of these experiences is vital to positive outcomes. Seeking support from an adoption support center can provide essential resources and guidance for families navigating these complexities.

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Mental Health Services

C.A.S.E. offers specialized adoption-competent in-person and teletherapy, case management, parent and teen support groups, and educational resources, including parent and professional trainings.
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National Center for Adoption Competent Mental Health Services

Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) has been awarded a 5-year Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to launch the first-ever National Center for Adoption Competent Mental Health Services (The Center).
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C.A.S.E. Academy

The C.A.S.E. Academy for Advancing Clinical Practice is for mental health professionals of all levels to grow and deepen in adoption, foster, kinship specialty practice across the country.
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National Training Institute

The C.A.S.E. National Training Institute is the culmination of more than 25 years of hands-on clinical expertise with foster, adoptive, and kinship families.
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Webinars

C.A.S.E. offers in-demand and live webinars focused on a variety of relevant topics for adoptive, foster and kinship parents as well as the professionals who serve them.
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Support Groups

C.A.S.E. offers a variety of free virtual and in-person support groups throughout the year including teen identity, parent led and caregiver support groups.
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Book Store

Purchase C.A.S.E. educational books & resources including Beneath the Mask books, W.I.S.E. Up! Powerbooks, The Whole Me and 52 Ways to Talk About Adoption Card Deck.
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Signature Events

Increase recognition of your commitment to our community and children’s mental health when you sponsor a C.A.S.E. signature event.
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Diverse Group of Teens

National Center for Adoption Competent Mental Health Services

Building bridges between child welfare systems and state mental health systems is key to bringing about systemic change to improve the mental health outcomes for children in care and in adoptive and guardianship homes.

Funded by United States Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, Children’s Bureau in October 2023, the newly launched 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 improve the quality of mental health services provided to children, young adults, and their families while in care and in adoptive and guardianship homes.

C.A.S.E. will work with national leaders as well as parents and young adults with lived experience to deliver new and enhanced support and training to states, tribes, territories, professionals, and peer support to professionals to meet the needs of children and families. The Center will be funded at $4 million for each of the five-year award.

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Expanded Learning Opportunities for Professionals

Academy for Advancing Clinical Practice in Permanency
Clinical Learning
Academy for Advancing Clinical Practice in Permanency

At the C.A.S.E. Academy for Advancing Clinical Practice, therapists of all levels will grow and deepen in adoption specialty practice. In this optimal learning environment, participants will have the opportunity to immerse in evidence-based and informed trainings while benefitting from C.A.S.E.’s field-tested adoption competent therapeutic approach.

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Training for Adoption Competency (TAC)
TAC
Training for Adoption Competency (TAC)

 

Training for Adoption Competency (TAC) is the nation’s premiere assessment-based certificate program for developing adoption competency skills.

This evidence-based, nationally accredited program has 19 training centers across the country, over 1,800 graduates (and growing) and received accreditation from the Institute of Credentialing Excellence (ICE), making it a recognized top-tier program dedicated to public protection and excellence in practice.

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National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training Initiative
NTI
National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training Initiative

NTI is a free web-based training developed to help professionals working in the mental health and child welfare fields to better address the mental health & developmental needs of children in foster, adoptive, or kinship families.

NTI is funded through a cooperative agreements (#90CO1121) and (#90CO1145) between the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Heath and Human Services, and the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.).

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NTI Training on laptop computer
School-Based Mental Health Professionals Training
School-Based
School-Based Mental Health Professionals Training

The School-Based Mental Health Professionals Training is a free web-based training created to equip school mental health professionals with resources and tools to support foster, adoptive, kinship children and their teachers in school-settings.

Enroll Now

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Jayra Family - C.A.S.E.

Help More
Families Thrive.

None of the important work C.A.S.E. does is possible without your generous support. You can help adoptive, foster, & kinship families get the support they need to heal and thrive. Read Jayra's Story

Donate Now

What People Are Saying About Us

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Adoptive Family
“The support C.A.S.E. has provided to me, my husband, and our two adopted children has been phenomenal. ”
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Adoptive Parent C.A.S.E. Client
“Great knowledge of the specific relationships, emotions, and phases of adoption through foster care; all of the resources for adoptive paren”
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Adoptive Family
“NPAC post-adoption support coaches helped me obtain specialized services that my child needed. ”
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Training Participant
“It was very informative and focuses directly on the skills needed to work with children and families going through the adoption process.”
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Adoptive Parent C.A.S.E. Client
“My son really enjoys his sessions and likes to talk about what his thinking and feeling with his therapist. he likes when the issues he is d”
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Adoptive Family
“NPAC post-adoption support coaches suggested that my child may have sensory needs. We then sought help from an occupational therapist that h”
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Training Participant
“Customer service has been excellent. You have been a great communicator and always get back to me very quickly.”

Our Partners 

"At Jockey Being Family, we believe that every child deserves to grow up with a loving family in a forever home. We are truly proud to partner with an organization like C.A.S.E. Not only do we know that they share our vision for families, but they have the tools, resources and knowledgeable staff to help make that become a reality. "
Jake McGhee
Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer Jockey
"We were thrilled to provide the W.I.S.E. Up!®Powerbook (for Children in Foster Care) created by the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) to each of our 120 Wendy's Wonderful Kids professionals to use with the children they serve. "
Rita Soronen
President and CEO, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

Events & Webinars

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You have questions? We have answers.

Tonyala Scott - C.A.S.E.
Contact Us:
Get Started

For General Information: 301-476-8525 | caseadopt@adoptionsupport.org

 

Non-Discrimination Policy

All C.A.S.E. employees, interns, volunteers, consultants, subcontractors, clients and families have the right to be treated with courtesy, dignity, and respect and without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military or veteran status, or any other category protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

C.A.S.E. serves all individuals and families regardless of race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military or veteran status, or any other category protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

All Children All Families Welcome Seal