Recognizing the need for adoption competent professionals to assist families after adoption, and the fact that schools of social work and clinical training programs often do not include adoption-specific training, some States and universities have developed postgraduate adoption certificate programs with training on adoption-related issues. In this section find links to postgraduate adoption certificate programs throughout the country.
Certificate Program in Adoption
Rutgers University School of Social Work
Focuses on increasing the knowledge of mental health practitioners regarding the core issues of adoption and helps them enhance their skills in attachment-based, family-focused, therapeutic interventions.
Post Graduate Certificate Program in Adoption Therapy
Hunter College School of Social Work, City University of New York
Provides non-credit-bearing advanced education and training for mental health professionals, particularly those working to promote adoption from public foster care, in specialized theories and practices for working with all members of the adoptive triad, including birth mothers and fathers, adoptive mothers and fathers, and adopted people.
Child Welfare Information Gateway encourages States and localities to submit information on their postadoption initiatives for inclusion in the Information Gateway library and website to share with their peers across the country. Send information to nfcad@childwelfare.gov.