By Carol J. Bishop, LMFT

October is ADHD Awareness Month and this month, we’re highlighting that one of the most frequently misdiagnosed conditions in children is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. Because the symptoms of ADHD are broad, and overlap with other conditions, diagnosing ADHD correctly can be tricky. For instance, common symptoms of ADHD like restlessness, difficulty concentrating, difficulty following directions, impulsivity, and outbursts can all be found in other diagnoses, or attributed to other causes. In addition, some behaviors can be directly related to the age and maturity of the young child or teen, and not at all indicative of an ADHD diagnosis.

By Rachel Shifaraw, C.A.S.E. Emerging Leader & Creative Content Specialist

It’s Hispanic Heritage Month, a month I know nothing about despite being 100% Latina. That’s a strange confession to make via a writing piece for work but it’s my truth and an honest part of my adoption story.

When I left Chile in August of 1983, I came to America and became very… American. Every bit of my Chilean identity was buried in Chilean soil the day I left. It was as if that part of me died. I lived throughout adolescence feeling curious about my Latina culture, but it was never a part of me that was acknowledged and certainly not celebrated.

By Rachel Shifaraw, C.A.S.E. Emerging Leader & Creative Content Specialist

“Why don’t you wise up, show all the people?” the music was blaring through the speakers of my car as my tires gripped the winding back roads near my home. One of my favorite rappers reciting the lyrics, striking sensory overload as the beat bounced through my body and the words sounded less like music and more like a message. The rolling hills moved from my front windshield to my rearview mirror and the moment I was cruising through seemed eerily indicative of my experience with “wising up” on my adoption journey.

The Kids' Adoption Network (KAN) Conference is a full day of fun and learning that includes lunch and engaging activities for children, teens, parents, caregivers, and prospective adoptive parents.

Parents participate in insightful workshops led by adoption experts and panel discussions with adult adoptees. Kids explore and learn through workshops designed by our highly trained adoption-competent therapists in groups by grade, with teens (9th-12th grade) together in one group.



The day ends with carnival games and prizes. 

A special thank you to Jockey Being Family for supporting our KAN 2024 Conference.

Religion, Adoption, and Christianity:

Perspectives on the Intersections between

religion and adoption in the United States

October 17, 2024 | 1-2:30pm EST

In this panel, participants will learn about the history and influence of Christianity on adoption in the United States, through the eyes of those with lived and professional experience. Adoption and Christianity have been intrinsically linked in the United States since the rise in popularity of formal adoptions. The impact of religion, and in this instance, Christianity, is infrequently discussed in public discourse as it relates to the identity development of adoptees. In this panel discussion, adult adoptees will talk about what religion has meant in their lives and how they feel religion; specifically Christianity, has shaped the way we view adoption in the United States.

Panelists include Tony Hynes, Astrid Castro, Jade Henness, and Matthew Anthony. Use coupon code RELIGION to receive free registration at checkout. 

Starting October 24, 2024 | 7:00-8:30pm EST

Having the opportunity to be surrounded by those who understand your family's journey is a vital experience. In this support group for LGBTQ+ families, led by C.A.S.E. training specialist Tony Hynes and C.A.S.E. therapist Regi Corbie, LCMFT, you will have the opportunity to talk about the challenges you and your family may be going through, while receiving support from professionals with lived experience in LGBTQ+ households. There is sometimes a lack of understanding for the intersecting experiences LGBTQ+ families face. Such families require environments that honor those experiences, as well as spaces that provide opportunities to connect with individuals from similar family types. C.A.S.E. looks forward to providing that space for your family.

Starting November 14, 2024 | 6:00-7:00pm EST

This support group is designed to support adoptive parents who face the complexities of supporting children with both attachment and developmental issues. The support group will provide education, intervention ideas, space for members to share creative successes, and opportunities to work through challenges involved in engaging systems (medical, school, community) that are not always understanding of the special needs of adopted children or those with developmental challenges. Members will be asked to share their concerns and needs when signing up for the group so that the facilitator can incorporate information specifically relevant to those attending.

The National Center has been actively engaged in listening to learn about the mental health needs of children impacted by the child welfare system throughout the United States. The nationwide challenges expressed include difficulty maintaining children safely in family homes, widespread staffing shortages, and limited capacity of systems to meet families’ mental health needs. Other identified challenge areas include:

1. Children, youth, and families receive fragmented services.
2. Systems struggle to collaborate effectively.
3. Services are unable to meet the high acuity needs of children, youth, and families.
4. There is an over-reliance on highest care levels, including residential care.
5. There is a shortage of child welfare and mental health providers.
6. The workforce needs additional professional development to respond to the need.
7. Systems do not have the knowledge to maximize and integrate lived experience into service provision.  
8. A lack of culturally and linguistically responsive practices causes disproportionality.
9. Patchworked funding streams result in fragmentation of services.
10. Evidence-informed practice change is slow and leads to unsuccessful outcomes.

We hear your challenges, and the National Center is here to offer technical assistance services at no cost to your jurisdiction. We will help build your capacity and find solutions to your challenges. 

Live Webinar

Learn how partnering with the National Center can improve access to child welfare competent mental health services in your community! Join us on October 15 at 1 pm EST for a live information session about our Intensive Technical Assistance services offered at no cost to States, Tribes, and territories. 

For Black Girls Like Me

By Lauren Lynch, Adoptive Mom & C.A.S.E. Training Coordinator

Mariama J. Lockington’s “For Black Girls Like Me” is a master class in revealing the dichotomy of being an adopted person of color raised by white parents. It took me on an emotional journey from start to finish, searching for the language to accurately depict this poignant piece of work. Layer upon complicated layer revealed a truth many are unwilling to admit: adoption is messy.

By Ashley Garcia-Rivera, Policy Advocacy Fellow

Mental Health

Screening Matters

As October marks National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month, we are highlighting the critical need for robust mental health policies for children and youth in the child welfare system. This young population often faces profound mental health challenges due to grief, loss, trauma, and instability, which can result in the disruption of family relationships.

Title IV-B Reauthorization: Protecting America's

Children by Strengthening Families Act

Last month, a bipartisan vote of 405 to 10 in the U.S. House marked a monumental victory for children and families nationwide with the passage of the Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act (Title IV-B reauthorization). The collective advocacy from voices across the country emphasized the critical importance of this legislation, underscoring the power of unity in championing for our most vulnerable. This is a game-changer for C.A.S.E.

Navigating Friendship and Mental Health: The Power of Adoption-Competent Therapy in Healing and Connection

By Emily Kwiatkowski, Adoptee, C.A.S.E. Emerging Leader

Eighth grade brought special privileges at the school I attended. We got to sit on the bleachers that lined one of the gym’s walls, overlooking a sprawling sea of underclassmen, uniformed in a navy blue and white plaid. Later in the year, we could wear red sweatshirts as a physical marker of our seniority. New school years inevitably bring about changes in teachers, courses, classrooms, and even the gaining or fracturing of friendships. What I did not prepare for, though, was a semester void of the laughter and companionship of my best friend.