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Colorado’s Failed Adoptions

Posted inSocial Services

Many Colorado foster kids don’t get behavioral health screenings as fast as they should

by Jennifer Brown and Shannon Najmabadi 4:15 AM MST on Nov 25, 202210:04 AM MST on Nov 25, 2022

Data recently reviewed by state lawmakers reinforces findings from a Colorado Sun investigation that found 13% of adoptions of foster children have failed in the last decade — mainly due to behavioral issues

Posted inSun Investigation

Colorado’s mental health system ill-equipped to handle adopted children with severe trauma

by Jennifer Brown, Olivia Prentzel, Shannon Najmabadi and Photography by Olivia Sun 4:23 AM MST on Nov 17, 20229:53 AM MST on Nov 25, 2022

The primary reason adoptions of foster kids in Colorado fail is “child’s behavior problem.” How do you fix reactive attachment disorder or adoption-related loss?

Posted inSun Investigation

Colorado funds only one agency to help families and adopted kids with their trauma-filled past. And its budget just got slashed.

by Olivia Prentzel, Jennifer Brown, Shannon Najmabadi and Photography by Olivia Sun 4:26 AM MST on Nov 16, 20221:15 PM MST on Nov 17, 2022

No family who has received trauma-informed coaching by Raise the Future has reported a disrupted adoption, according to the agency and the state.

Posted inSun Investigation

The same adopted child in Colorado could get $1,000 of monthly subsidies, or none. The deciding factor? Where they live.

by Shannon Najmabadi, Olivia Prentzel, Jennifer Brown and Photography by Olivia Sun 4:28 AM MST on Nov 15, 20221:13 PM MST on Nov 17, 2022

Colorado is among just a handful of states where adoption assistance rates are set entirely by counties. The state is making reforms.

A kid walks along a wooden fence.
Posted inSun Investigation

Failed twice: Colorado foster kids who are adopted often end up back in the child welfare system

by Jennifer Brown, Shannon Najmabadi, Olivia Prentzel and Photography by Olivia Sun 4:26 AM MST on Nov 14, 20221:12 PM MST on Nov 17, 2022

More than 1,000 children who were adopted from foster care in Colorado in the past decade ended up back in the system.

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