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August 25 has been proclaimed Oregon Adoption Day. The Oregon Legislature made this decision unanimously, with bipartisan support, thanks in part to the leadership of Representative Lucetta Elmer, an adoptee.
On this day, we honor all adoptees first and foremost, along with adoptive families of all kinds, birth parents, and the many family, siblings, and community members who are part of their lives and stories. To mark the occasion, Representative Elmer’s office will unveil the new Oregon Adoption Day logo.
Thank you for being a part of Oregon’s story!
Kendra and team
Oregon Post-Adoption Resource Center (ORPARC)
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Let’s Make Magic!
Saturday, Nov. 21, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: ORPARC office
Save the date for ORPARC’s annual National Adoption and Adoptee Awareness Month open house. We’re celebrating adoptive and guardianship families and adoptees with a day full of crafts, giveaways, free family photos, special guests, and snacks. Join us at 6443 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Highway, Suite 205, Portland.
Learn how to RSVP
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ORPARC and ODHS head to Washington, DC
Over the last two years, ORPARC has been honored to work with our colleagues at the Oregon Department of Human Services and the National Center for Enhanced Post-Adoption Support to strengthen our services for children, youth, and families. Recently, we gathered in Washington, DC, with representatives from other states to celebrate Oregon’s progress, share ideas, and brainstorm about what’s next.
| A message from our partners at ODHS | |
Message from Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Adoption/Guardianship Assistance Unit to all guardianship and adoptive parents.
Hello adoption and guardianship families! We hope you have had an enjoyable summer filled with great memories and time with family.
The Post-Adoption and Guardianship team is reminding families that subsidy payments are issued at the beginning of each month for the previous month’s expenses. For example, your August payment is intended to help cover your child’s expenses from July.
If you receive your subsidy by direct deposit: The date your funds are available depends on your bank’s processing time.
If you would like to set up direct deposit, please contact your ODHS coordinator or support staff.
If you receive a check: The ODHS office generates and mails your check, but delivery time depends on the U.S. Postal Service.
Please notify your coordinator if you have a new address to help prevent delays.
Contact ODHS Post-Adoption and Guardianship team
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New therapist directory available
AdoptCareConnect is a new directory of foster and adoption competent therapists created by ODHS, ORPARC, and Social Capital Projects.
Parents and professionals can use a variety of search features to find therapists statewide who have ORPARC-approved foster and adoption competency certifications or specialties such as Therapeutic Life Story Work, EMDR, neurofeedback, and Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®).
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Thank you, State Library of Oregon
A microgrant from the State Library of Oregon (SLO) has helped ORPARC’s tiny but mighty library replace hundreds of titles that got lost or went missing! Plus, we added some new ones!
Through this generosity, we were also able to partner with some amazing lived-experienced consultants to improve our checkout and overdue practices. Many heartfelt thanks to patrons Amanda, Kalea, Lynda, Lisa, Christina, and Erinn for their help and support.
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Library of Oregon.
Visit the lending library
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New neurofeedback site in Ontario
Insight Counseling & Therapy, serving Eastern Oregon and Idaho, is ORPARC’s newest neurofeedback practice site and partner in Ontario, Oregon.
Good to know: Neurofeedback services are free, while funding lasts, for adoptive and state guardianship children, their parents, and adult adoptees at all Neurofeedback Adoption Access Program (NAAP) sites.
Learn more and request a referral
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Therapeutic Life Story Work (TLSWi) Therapists - Insight Counseling & Therapy
Congratulations to our newest TLSWi™ Certified Practitioners at Insight Counseling & Therapy: Director Becky Wolery, PsyD, LCSW; Janae Stroops, QMHP; and Erica Kilbashian, LMSW. All three earned their international Certificate in Therapeutic Life Story Work with Richard Rose.
“This has been one of the most valuable trainings I have attended in recent years, and I would highly recommend it to others working in the field.” Dr. Becky Wolery
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Recruiting therapists now
Scholarships are available for Cohort 6 of the nine-month, rigorous Training in Adoption Competency (TAC) Certificate and Cohort 12 of the six-day Certificate in Therapeutic Life Story Work (TLSWi) with Richard Rose, international trainer, adoptee, and author.
Congratulations to the graduates of TAC Cohort 5 and TLSWi Cohort 11. These therapists and their practice details can be found in the new AdoptCareConnect foster and adoption competent directory.
Search the directory
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Shine with ADHD with Maggie Alexander
Friday, Sept. 18, 10 a.m.
Location: Zoom
In this session, learn the latest updates about managing and treating ADHD with medicine and micronutrients. Explore common ADHD myths and treatments, how stimulant medications are used, lab tests that may uncover underlying contributors to ADHD, and how autism and trauma can affect ADHD symptoms.
Register for the training
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Sustaining the heart of the helper. Caring for yourself while caring for children and families with Karen A. Green
Thursday, Dec. 10, 11 a.m.
Location: Zoom
Explore how strengthening a caregiver’s capacity helps children heal, connect, and thrive. Discover tools based on attachment science, nervous system regulation, relational health, and Positive Childhood Experiences that reduce burnout, increase emotional resilience, and create emotionally safe, healing relationships.
Register for the training
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Shoulder to Shoulder Conference
October 27 and 28, 10 a.m.
Location: Virtual
The Shoulder to Shoulder (STS) Conference will provide training and opportunities to strengthen partnerships to better serve children and families. This multidisciplinary conference is designed for foster and adoptive parents, kinship caregivers, caseworkers, social workers, legal and judicial professionals, health and medical professionals, and other advocates working in child welfare.
Learn more about STS
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Light Up the Journey
This training series is an opportunity for adoptive and guardianship parents of children from Oregon, as well as families who have moved to Oregon, to gain ongoing support through every stage of their child’s life. Meet other parents and the ORPARC staff who can help along the way.
Learn more about Light Up the Journey
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See the full training calendar
Looking for more learning opportunities? Explore the full and most updated training calendar anytime.
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Explore the ORPARC lending library
The lending library has added new books and resources for parents, professionals, children, tweens, and teens, including Tribal, Spanish-language, and bilingual materials. Eligible Oregon families and professionals can join the library for free and have resources mailed directly to their homes.
Whether you’re looking to learn, strengthen connections with your child, or explore a new topic, there’s something for everyone.
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ORPARC staff bookshelf
Looking for your next great read? ORPARC staff are sharing some of their favorite titles from the library, with recommendations for readers of all ages. Explore these picks and discover a new book to enjoy together.
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The ABCs of Foster & Kinship Care
by Raquel McCloud
Topics: Children, Ages 0-7, adoptee authored
The ABCs of Foster & Kinship Care gives kid-friendly explanations of relevant terms that are oftentimes hard to understand.
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Flip the Script: Adult Adoptee Anthology
by Diane René Christian
Topics: Adoptee authored, talking about adoption
Flip the Script: Adult Adoptee Anthology is a dynamic artistic exploration of adoptee expression and experience. This anthology offers readers a diverse compilation of literature and artistry from a global community of adoptees.
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Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories
by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Topics: Tribal-Indigenous authors and experiences
Featuring the voices of acclaimed Indigenous writers and edited by bestselling Muscogee author Cynthia Leitich Smith, this collection of interconnected stories serves up laughter, love, Native pride, and the world’s best frybread.
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First-Time Fostering: A Practical Guide for Supporting Kids in Foster Care
by Laura the Foster Parent Partner
Topics: Foster care, parenting, trauma
When you don’t know what to do, this book is here to help. Parenting a child in foster care comes with unique challenges that most parenting books don’t cover. First-Time Fostering offers practical, in-the-moment guidance so foster parents and kinship caregivers can navigate hard moments with compassion and confidence.
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Meet Erin McCall, M.Ed., M.S., LPC
Favorite takeaways from Training for Adoption Competency (TAC)?
Realizing that “adoption is trauma.” I have a better understanding of the complexities of the process and can recognize connected patterns and behaviors. I enjoyed the shared experience of learning together and hearing different perspectives from everyone. The cohort was a good mix of adult adoptees, parents of adoptees, and clinicians.
What has TAC meant to you as an adoptee?
As an adoptee, I gained more insight into my own adoption story, understanding the origins more clearly, patterns, behaviors, and support on how to navigate the world.
Your practice focus area?
I work with young children (3+) and adolescents using play but also work with all ages using non-verbal interventions such as sand, expressive arts, music, and art. I am in the process of adding adoptees of all ages to my list of clientele.
How can people contact you?
They can contact me at Erin McCall, erin@brightbeginningspdx.com or 469-844-7106
Beginnings Family Counseling, brightbeginningspdx.com
| | ORPARC is happy to provide ongoing support for youth and families. Contact us at any time to learn more about eligibility, availability, and how to get involved in the programs below. | |
Caring Connections
Is your child turning age 8 or 12?
Then expect an ORPARC Caring Connections family check-in!
ORPARC is reaching out to Oregon adoptive and guardianship families through our Caring Connections well-being check-ins. If your child is around age 8 or 12, we will be reaching out with a short survey to see how we can help.
It’s a great opportunity to share your experiences, learn about ORPARC services, and request resources or referrals.
Learn more
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New KEEP groups for parents of young children and teens
KEEP, offered by Oregon Social Learning Center Developments, is an established, evidence-based program that helps parents build skills and confidence while connecting with other families. KEEP groups are scheduled around families’ needs and availability.
Late summer and early fall groups will begin soon. Stay updated on available groups on our KEEP groups webpage.
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Download our latest PDF
Find our fall 2026 PDF for helpful community resources, training opportunities, upcoming events, and information to support your family’s journey!
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About Oregon Post-Adoption Resource Center
Oregon Post-Adoption Resource Center (ORPARC) supports foster, adoptive, guardianship, kinship, and birth families across Oregon. ORPARC provides information and referrals, training and education, parenting consultation, therapeutic listening, systems navigation, support resources, and lending library.
Services are tailored to the unique needs of families and individuals and are available for short- or long-term confidential support.
We welcome all families! Learn more about our services.
Compassion is our compass. Connection is our cornerstone.
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