C.A.S.E. Academy

Elevating Clinical Practice In Permanency

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

Woman holding hands across a yoga mat with therapist watching sitting on floor during therapy session

The C.A.S.E. Academy Advisory Board brings together a dynamic group of national experts utilizing their various backgrounds and deep wisdom to actively consult on the direction, structure and coursework for the Academy.

Meet the C.A.S.E. Academy Advisory Board

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The C.A.S.E. Academy piloted with the
University of Oklahoma

The Results are in…and it’s working!

In 3 years of piloting our methods and a unique 2-year collaboration with University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma state Department of Health Services, the Academy exceeded goals and are thrilled with the outcomes.

Participants ranked their satisfaction with the Academy as very high. Both interns and master’s level mental health professionals valued the training content, supervision, and resources provided. This supports the Academy’s goal of building the workforce!

Early evidence also suggests the skills learned are being applied to practice, which ultimately leads to better outcomes for children and families.

Scores included:

Steady improvement across all 10 competencies in adoption competence.
Interns rating their own preparedness at 4.3 out of 5 and their supervisors rating them at 4.4!
Consistent use of skills even after the program had finished.
100% of interns reported ‘always or often’ using skills acquired in the program.

Advanced Mental Health Professional Participant C.A.S.E. Academy

“The courses challenged my prior assumptions and provided new perspectives on supporting adoptees across the lifespan.”

Advanced Mental Health Professional Participant C.A.S.E. Academy

“My experience reignited my passion for working with families and refined the knowledge in my arsenal.”

Academy Advanced Mental Health Professional Participant C.A.S.E. Academy

“The competencies have deepened & broadened my understanding of the impact of adoption on families & how these impact each family system differently”

Mental Health Professionals reported high ratings of satisfaction with the Academy courses:

96%

content was relevant to their profession

98%

indicated the training was helpful to their work

98%

reported the presenters were responsive to participants

98%

indicated the presenters presented the subject matter clearly

100%

rated the presenters as knowledgeable

And importantly, their skills from courses grew:

Learn More about the Comprehensive Learning Model of the Academy:

Interns are mental health professionals enrolled in their final year of a graduate program in social work, marriage and family therapy, counseling, or psychology. Ideal students are those seeking a social work internship and actively wish to pursue work with children and families in the child welfare community, with particular interest in adoptive, foster and kinship families.

Post TAC Mental Health Professionals are post master’s degree and have completed our TAC class, are licensed or soon to be licensed, with approximately 2-5 years of experience in child welfare, adoption, kinship caregiving, loss, trauma, etc.

Advanced practitioners are mental health professionals who have received the TAC badge, who have engaged with a range of C.A.S.E. offerings and have been working clinically with foster/adoptive/kinship families for at least 6-10 years. They may provide clinical supervision and/or may be interested in research.

Young woman worker wearing glasses watching online webinar at work.

Interns: Growing Adoption Awareness

Interns are mental health professionals enrolled in their final year of a graduate program in social work, marriage and family therapy, counseling, or psychology. Ideal students are those seeking a social work internship and actively wish to pursue work with children and families in the child welfare community, with particular interest in adoptive, foster and kinship families.

The Academy partners with universities around the country to prepare interns for the workforce. This benefits both the intern and their future employer! Interns in the Academy begin developing a clinical specialty that will make them more marketable to launch their careers and more confident and capable once they join the workforce with unparalleled skills. And, the Academy offers support for specializing intern supervisors as well!

Universities interested can submit an interest form or start a conversation via email with C.A.S.E. Academy Director, Laura Ornelas:
Email Laura

If you are in intern in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area, your practicum can be done at C.A.S.E.

If you will not be interning in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area, please be sure to let your university know about our program to see how we might be able to work with them!

Focused young african american businesswoman or student looking at laptop holding book learning

Post TAC Mental Health Professionals: Acquiring Adoption Competence

Post TAC Mental Health Professionals are post master’s degree and have completed our TAC class, are licensed or soon to be licensed, with approximately 2-5 years of experience in child welfare, adoption, kinship caregiving, loss, trauma, etc.

Academy participants can pay for this training through their employer or individually. Virtual consultations with participants and site supervisors can be arranged. If an employer does not fund attendance, scholarships and fee reduction applications will be available for those with lived experience or professional goals that demonstrate their commitment to this specialization and their ability to contribute to the field.

Ask us about offerings for supervisors!

Submit Interest Form

Advanced Mental Health Professionals: Developing Excellence in Adoption

Advanced practitioners are mental health professionals who have received the TAC badge, who have engaged with a range of C.A.S.E. offerings and have been working clinically with foster/adoptive/kinship families for at least 6-10 years. They may provide clinical supervision and/or may be interested in research.

At this level, stipends are available with application. Coursework can be completed virtually and practicum hours can be completed off site but must include specified periods in residency at C.A.S.E.

In addition to participation in a learning community, this mental health professional will have access to a clinical supervision group with expert clinician(s) and potential for participation in research studies and advocacy opportunities if interested. At the conclusion of this level, a certificate will be issued and practitioner’s information will be added to a national registry of clinicians with adoption excellence. Upon completion of the C.A.S.E. Academy, this practitioner can apply to provide adoption competent clinical supervision for the Academy.

Submit Interest Form

What we offer for mental health professionals:

Diving deep into the world of adoption competent clinical practice, these one-of-a-kind groups facilitated by Academy faculty are comprised of mental health professionals with similar experiences from around the country, to integrate knowledge into daily practice over the year together.

Learn More

The advanced course series is designed for mental health professionals who have completed TAC and want deeper dives. Offered in short, topical series by expert faculty around the country, courses rely on research while emphasizing clinical skills building. Take as many as you like! NTI grads, look out for select courses in this series that apply to you.

Clinical Supervisors Coursework Coming Soon - Express Your Interest!

Our latest exciting addition, the simulation lab takes you into the real world of adoption competent practice. Working with actors, mental health professionals get to try out new skills in the safety of a simulated environment while experiencing it as if it were real. Research shows the exponential skill growth of this technique!

Our one-of-a-kind instructional video collections are tailored for clinical audiences to dig deeper into the most salient areas of adoption competent care. With expert topical lessons for mental health professionals, combined with a unique adoption competent therapy session simulation, you won’t find this anywhere else. The instructional video library is used in combination with the other Academy offerings and not offered separately.

Transformational Features of our Professional Learning Opportunities:

Lived-Experience Guidance

C.A.S.E.'s work is informed by the true experts, those who have lived-experience in an adoptive, foster or kinship family. Individuals with lived-experience impact all of C.A.S.E.'s educational materials and are often developers or teachers.

Best Practice Teaching

C.A.S.E. is proud to lead the field of adoption competence. We research, create, elevate and refine the latest advancements in adoption specialty clinical care.

Impact Coaching

Taking a training is one thing, integration into practice is another. We provide expert consultation to individuals and systems to ensure knowledge extends far past the classroom into skills with families.

Knowledge Networking

This complex work is always done better in community. We create learning communities for practitioners around the country who have similar skill level, needs and interests to collaborate and consult with one another.

Measurable Outcomes

Our work both springs from and produces results. Set upon measurable competencies for interns, clinicians and supervisors, you and your organization will enjoy watching scores on both knowledge and skills outcomes rise-and best of all, the families you serve will benefit from the results!

Read Evaluation Summary 2024

The Need

75

of Training for Adoption Competency (TAC)™ graduates who were recently surveyed shared great interest in advanced coursework.

C.A.S.E. Academy