Center for Adoption Support and Education

C.A.S.E. has played a national leadership role in the field of adoption since its inception, not only by serving the mental health needs of thousands of clients in Maryland, Virginia, and D.C., but also through their remarkable and creative classroom-based training for mental health providers (Training for Adoption Competence) that has been replicated and disseminated in over a dozen states across the country, and through their newly developed online adoption training (National Training Initiative for Adoption Clinical Competence) that has already been taken by several thousand social workers and mental health providers. I have been a professional in the adoption field for nearly 40 years and I can confidently say that there is no other adoption organization in the U.S. that has had the breadth and depth of impact on supporting the post-adoption needs of adoptive families and adoption professionals as C.A.S.E. It has been a deeply satisfying experience to work with Debbie Riley and her staff over the years as a consultant, advisor, and collaborator.

I have been on board of CASE and involved in many hands on committees. I have 2 adopted children and frequently listened to advise from CASE workers and read the books written by Debbie Riley. I have watched CASE expand from a small agency with one office to global agency including multiple offices around DC. Their mission is truly dedicated to helping adoptive families adjust, become productive and find the best ways to communicate lovingly.

I am a mental health professional and an adoptive parent and I could not recommend CASE more highly. I first went to CASE for help with my newly adopted son. Their staff are specifically trained as adoption competent therapists and they are experts in the field of adoption. Their help was invaluable for our family. Years later I am still very connected to CASE as a board member and also attending their wonderful programs for adoptive parents and kids. If you or someone in your family is connected to adoption and you need support in any way, run do not walk to CASE! It will be the best decision you’ve ever made.

I am an adult adoptee, and have been connected to CASE for almost 15 years now. I often tell people I wish I had CASE when I was going through the identity challenges of my pre-teen and teen years. CASE provides direct adoption competent mental health services to people in the metro DC area. It's amazing to me how often I hear from families how they bounced around from therapist to therapist until they found CASE - and then CASE made all the difference. Because the rest of the country doesn't have CASE, their CEO has made it her mission to develop training curriculums for therapists to ensure that families all over the country have access to adoption competent services. I've also had case do professional development training at my kids' school, and the feedback was very positive. Demand is high for CASE, and it is exciting to watch the organization grow to meet that demand.

I was a prospective client required to go on a wait list. That was fine because I thought the wait would be worth it. I followed their request to check in monthly, which I did only to receive nasty responses on why I was checking in verses waiting for a call a that a therapist was available. Well, I did receive a call nearly two months later, which was fine. I was extended an opportunity for our family (in post placement) to participate in a special program. I agreed after researching the program and discussing with others outside CASE on the benefits of participating. Well, ONE HOUR before our first the first therapy session for my young daughters I get a call saying we do not qualify for the program because of the status of our adoption. No alternative was provided, nor did they care. I was quizzed on why was not seeking treatment from my adoption agency for my girls (because they do not offer such services!) In my utter shock and dismay, their unprofessional director of administration and training got on the phone and proceeded to berate me, talk down to me, and insult me laced with insincere apologies. When I asked what services were available she suggested I coukd receive their newsletter!! Shocked to tears, I asked to speak with the person that called me. Then the director lied, saying she was in with clients, which was impossible since the time was set for my daughters' appointment time. At this point she also instructed me to call or write their CEO, them hung up!! beyond shocked by her remarkable disregard and unprofessionalism and the fact that she refused to offer any alternative treatment services FOR THEIR VETTING ERROR, I broke down in tears that turned into being grateful for the transparency of CASE because why would I want therapy services from CASE for my adopted children who already have experienced abuse!!! Shame on CASE.