Gaining the Skills to Help Adopted Kids and Their Families Thrive

Adopted children and their families are more likely to use outpatient mental health services than non-adoptive families, pointing to an area appropriately suited to many psychologists’ skills. However, working with adopted and foster children and their parents requires specialized knowledge and clinical tools that many psychologists are not exposed to in their training. This article identifies specific mental health needs of the children who are adopted and their families while discussing the role of evidence-based interventions in improving outcomes for adopted children and their adoptive parents. Copyright 2024.

After reading the CE Corner article, you will be asked to complete a “Commitment-to-Change” (CTC) exercise. The CTC exercise is designed to help facilitate the translation of your learning into practice. Completion of the CTC is required prior to the completion of the CE Test based on the APA Monitor's CE Corner article series.

This product is not included in the APA Unlimited CE program.

New York state psychologists: This program is not currently in compliance with the unique requirements imposed by the New York State Board of Education for New York licensed psychologists CE.

• Discuss specific mental health needs of the children and families who are adopted or moving toward the adoption process.
• Discuss how to strengthen collaboration with child welfare teams and social service systems.
• Discuss the role of evidence-based interventions in improving outcomes for adopted children and their adoptive parents.

Tori Deangelis