The following organizations and individuals offer additional information about adoption, foster care, kinship care, and other child welfare issues. Although our staff have visited these sites before listing them here, many of them are extensive and change regularly, and we cannot be responsible for the information found on these sites.
If you find that a particular link is invalid, please send an e-mail to connect@kidsandfamilies.org and let us know about the problem.
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Attachment
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Domestic Adoption
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Financial-Community Resources
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Foster Care
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Health Care Access
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International Adoption
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Legal
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Permanency & Reunification
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Resource Materials
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Search & Reunion
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State of California
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Ventura County
Attachment
Association for Treatment and Training in the Attachment of Children (ATTACh) is an international coalition of families & professionals. Provides annual conference, memnership directory, and resources. www.attach.org
Dr. Dan Hughes, PhD. is a trauma/attachment therapist who trains professionals and parents to work with children who have experienced abuse or neglect. www.danielhughes.org
Institute for Attachment & Child Development provides information on attachment disorder, as well as articles and research information. www.instituteforattachment.org
The Theraplay Institute trains mental health professionals in the Theraplay® method. Website provides info for parents and professionals, including books, videos, & research info. Includes a directory for locating certified therapists. www.theraplay.org
Adoption-domestic
Adoptive Families Magazine is an adoption information source for families before, during, and after adoption. www.adoptivefamilies.com
AdoptUsKids.org raises public awareness about the need for foster & adoptive families for children in the child welfare system and assists U.S. States, Territories and Tribes to recruit and retain foster and adoptive families. www.adoptuskids.org
Adopting.org provides information on all aspects of the adoption process. www.adopting.org
Adoption.org is a search engine to help find info, blogs, forums, articles & support for adoptive parents, birth mothers, and children. www.adoption.org
The American Association of Open Adoption Agencies is an organization of non-profit adoption agencies which provide open adoption services. http://www.openadoption.org
Bastard Nation advocates for the civil and human rights of adult citizens who were adopted as children. www.bastards.org
The Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) is a national resource for families and professionals through its training, publications, and consultations. www.adoptionsupport.org
Family Connections Christian Adoptions is a U.S. and international adoption agency. Provides home studies and post-adoption services. www.fcadoptions.org
Dave Thomas Foundation For Adoption serves as an active voice for the more than 100,000 children in the public child welfare system who are waiting for homes and families. http://www.davethomasfoundation.org
Ethica seeks to be an impartial voice for ethical adoption practices worldwide, and provides education, assistance, and advocacy to the adoption and foster care communities. www.ethicanet.org
Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute is devoted to improving adoption policies and practices through research, education, & advocacy. www.adoptioninstitute.org
Holt International Children’s Services is a Christian adoption agency. Also provides post-adoption services. www.holtinternational.org
The National Adoption Center promotes and provides information about adopting older children, minority children, and those with special needs. www.adopt.org.
National Council for Adoption offers comprehensive information on all aspects of adoption. www.adoptioncouncil.org
North American Council on Adoptable Children supports children waiting to be adopted and the families who adopt them. Provides information about adoption from US foster facilities, post-adoption support, adoption subsidies, resources for potential adoptive parents and researchers. www.nacac.org
Insight – Open Adoption provides resources and support for open adoption. http://www.openadoptioninsight.org
Royal Family Kids’ Camp hosts annual weekend camps for foster youth who have been abused or neglected. Must be referred by social worker. www.ventura.rfkc.org
Tapestry Books publishes adoption related books and provides cutting edge information on all aspects of the process. www.tapestrybooks.com
Food Assistance
Cal Fresh (formerly knows as Food Stamps) issues monthly electronic benefits that can be used to buy most foods at many markets and food stores. www.dss.cahwnet.gov/foodstamps
Care and Share of Simi Valley is a food pantry for Simi residents. Call (805) 522-5676.
FOOD Share of Ventura County collects and receives food year-round to help feed hungry families and individuals throughout various sites in Ventura County. Also provides assistance in applying for Cal Fresh (aka food stamps) www.foodshare.com
Manna Food Bank provides food bags for residents of Thousand Oaks. www.mannaconejo.org
The Treasure Box provides several pounds of frozen food (veggies, meat, & fruit) at low prices. www.thetreasurebox.org
Foster Care & Kinship Care
*kinship refers to those raising the child of a friend or relative
Aspiranet supports foster care homes and adoption. www.aspiranet.org
California Kinship Navigator Program provides info on referrals, resources, and support to kinship families in California. www.cakinship.org
California Youth Connection promotes the participation of foster youth in policy development and legislative change to improve the foster care system, and strives to improve social work practice and child welfare policy. www.calyouthconn.org
Channel Islands Social Services provides free respite support to foster & kinship families, as well as those with disabled children. www.islandsocialservices.org
Dark to Dawn is a resource to those wanting to learn about adoption, foster care, and orphan care. Also provides support to transitional youth. www.darktodawn.org
Foster Care Ombudsman Program of CA is an independent forum for the investigation & resolution of complaints made by or on behalf of children placed in foster care. Provides youth with www.fosteryouthhelp.ca.gov
FosterClub is a national network for young people in foster care to share information and stories. www.fosterclub.com
Kinship Center creates and supports permanent families for children through adoption, relative caregiving or other guardianship. Find support groups throughout California. www.kinshipcenter.org
Koinonia Foster Homes: Provides foster care homes for Ventura County. www.kfh.org
VCCCD Foster and Kinship Care Education Program provides free education & training for foster and kinship families. Certificates provided for those meeting licensing requirements. http://www.vcfpa.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=60&Itemid=86
Ventura County Foster Parent Association provides immediate clothing, bedding and comfort items to displaced children, as well as on-going professional support and training to foster parents. www.vcfpa.com
Health Care Access
ACE Program for Adults is a program designed to provide access to medical care to those without health insurance. www.vchca.org/ace.aspx
Health Care for Kids is a one-stop shop to help families access health care services for their children. www.vchca.org/public-health/hcfk.aspx
Healthy Families is a low cost insurance program for children and teens. It provides health, dental and vision coverage to children who do not have insurance and do not qualify for free Medi-Cal. www.healthyfamilies.ca.gov/hfhome.asp
Medi-Cal provides health care services to low-income individuals. http://portal.countyofventura.org/portal/page/portal/VCHSA/MediCal
International Adoption
Families With Children From China is an organization of families that have adopted children from China. http://fwcc.org/
U.S. State Department – International Adoptions. News, articles, laws and information regarding international adoptions. http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/adoption_485.html
Legal Help
American Academy of Adoption Attorneys has members who are experienced in the complexities of adoption law as well as interstate
and international regulations surrounding adoption. www.adoptionattorneys.org
California Courts Self-Help Center provides info on adoption, guardianship, foster care, domestic abuse, restraining orders, special education rights, forms, etc. www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) appoints trained volunteers to assess child’s circumstances, report findings, and speak on child’s behalf. www.icfs.org/court-appointed-special-advocates.html
Deborah E. Jurgensen of Jurgensen Law is a general practitioner with an emphasis in Family Law. Also assists with guardianship and placement issues. www.jurgensenlaw.com
Guardianship Assistance through the Ventura County Juvenile Courthouse Family Resource Center. Call (805) 981-5974.
Jewish Family Services provides free, monthly legal clinics through volunteer attorneys. Free referrals. www.jfsvc.org
Superior Court of Ventura County Self-Help/Family Law Centers provides info on family and non-family law issues. www.ventura.courts.ca.gov
Permanency & Reunification
National Resource Center on Family-Centered Practice & Permanency Planning: nrcfcppp.org
The Child Welfare League of America is a nonprofit organization developing and promoting policies and programs for children and strengthen families. The CWLA also publishes books and magazines on adoption, foster care and other child welfare issues. http://www.cwla.org/
Parenting
Positive Parenting is dedicated to providing resources and information to make parenting rewarding, effective and fun! www.positiveparenting.com
Love & Logic Institute provides practical tools and techniques that help adults achieve respectful, healthy relationships with their children. www.loveandlogic.com
United Parents provides services to families with children who have mental, emotional and behavioral problems. www.unitedparents.org
Search & Reunion
The American Adoption Congress is an international network that provides information and links for people separated by adoption. http://www.americanadoptioncongress.org/
Bastard Nation advocates for the civil and human rights of adult citizens who were adopted as children. http://bastards.org
Berta’s Registry is a free search and reunion registry. www.bertasregistry.com
Kindle Family Connections through Casa Pacifica, provides intensive family finding services to help identify and locate a child’s missing circle of family. www.kindlefamily.org
International Soundex Reunion Registry (ISRR) is a free, mutual consent registry for persons desiring a reunion with family. www.isrr.net
Toby Hanft – California Searcher. www.adoptionsearcher.com
World Telephone Directories – World Wide telephone directories + USA. Free www.teldir.com/eng/
State of California
The Violence Prevention Unit of the CDPH’s Epidemiology and Prevention for Injury Control (EPIC) Branch, is pleased to announce the availability of an updated on-line California Violence Prevention Resource Directory at: http://ww2.cdph.ca.gov/ We hope the California Violence Prevention Resource Directory will be useful to you in finding services and information when and where you need them most!
STRATEGIES: State of California’s Department of Social Services promotes a statewide network of community based family resource centers called STRATEGIES. http://www.familyresourcecenters.net
Ventura County
Ventura County Human Services Agency: County agency charged with foster care placements and adoption of children within the foster care system. www.vchsa.org
Aspira Foster Homes: Supports foster care homes and adoption. California wide organization with a Ventura office. For more information visit http://www.aspiranet.org or call 805-289-0120.
Koinonia Foster Homes: Provides foster care homes for Ventura County. http://www.kfh.org/
Family Connections Christian Adoptions: Office in Ventura. Domestic and some international adoptions. http://www.fcadoptions.org
National
Child Welfare Information Gateway provides access to information & resources to help protect children and strengthen families. Includes info on child welfare, child abuse & neglect, out-of-home care, adoption, and more. www.childwelfare.gov
