Adoption and Child Welfare History

I am currently a licensing compliance coordinator/licensing social worker at Family Alternatives. I have been working in Child Welfare for the past 5 years as a foster care licensor. I have background with working within Native American Communities and ICWA compliance throughout the state of Minnesota. I prefer working with the teen population, but my caseload currently consists of young children to young teenagers. I focus on positive reinforcement of strengths based frameworks with youth and empowerment. 

My vocational calling is to support the psychological and spiritual well-being of children, adolescents, and adults within adoptive, foster, and kinship family systems. My specialties involve working with individuals navigating adoption- and foster-related transitions, grief and loss, identity development, early and complex trauma, and attachment disruptions, as well as developmental differences and relational challenges. I approach this work with an understanding of how these experiences unfold across the lifespan and within the context of family and relational systems.

Jessica has worked in the mental health field providing services to children and families since 2002 and has been with North Homes Children and Family Services since 2016. She has worked in community and school-based services, with homeless families and single women, adults with severe and persistent mental illness, and in the day treatment setting. Jessica provides services in the office setting and school setting to children from early childhood through adolescence. She uses client-centered, solution-focused services, and cognitive behaviors therapy with her clients.

Katherine (she/her) is Licensed Graduate Social Worker and holds a Master's degree in social work from Augsburg University and a Bachelor's degree in social work from St. Olaf College. Katherine has the joy and privilege of working with children, adolescents, their caregivers, and multi-disciplinary teams of diverse identities and backgrounds who have been impacted by abuse and trauma. She provides trauma informed and culturally responsive individual and group therapy services to children and adolescents ages 3-17 at CornerHouse in Minneapolis.

Therapy is a powerful and individual process that can help reduce symptoms, build tools to deal with stressors and is a mutual relationship that encourages growth. I am here to help support, guide and problem solve through the use of assessment, treatment plans, and outpatient therapy.

Heather has a M.Ed. in Counseling from North Dakota State University, a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Minnesota State University – Moorhead and is a Licensed Social Worker (LSW #10393). Heather has 15 years experience working within the adoption community. Her prior work focused on supporting birth and adoptive parents with grief, loss and open adoption relationships as well as educating and supporting parents adopting children with traumatic backgrounds.

Amy has her Bachelor’s of Social Work degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead, and her Master’s of Social Work degree from the University of North Dakota and is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. Amy has 17 years of experience working in foster care/adoption agencies and chemical dependency residential settings in North Dakota and Minnesota. Amy brings with her knowledge regarding the child welfare systems, advocacy for foster care/adoption/kinship youth and families, parent education, understanding of trauma histories, and mental health diagnoses.

I have over 24 years of experience working in the area of adoption. I have worked with adoptive parents, adopting infants, both domestically and internationally, birth parents, and now post adoption services, primarily facilitating search and reunion services. In the early 2000’s, I did serve as one of two trainers in the state of MN, for the “Infant Adoption Awareness Training Program.”

Address:
Children’s Home/Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
1605 Eustis Street
Saint Paul, MN 55108

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Working in ND and a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in MN, practicing on the border of ND/MN. I spent the first decade of my social work career in the child welfare world, as a child protection worker and case manager. The work I was a part of in the child welfare world has impacted my work as a clinical social worker. I work with children (5+) and adults from various walks of life experiencing mental health concerns for a variety of reasons, adoption and foster care included.

Kayla is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and believes in the power of relationships to assist clients in finding their unique healing needs in ways that are comfortable and meaningful to the individual and family system. Kayla works with children (ages 3 and up), teens, and families who are experiencing behavioral and mental health needs, disruptions in attachment and family relationships, and trauma. Kayla also has experience in Preschool Mental Health Day Treatment and Child Protection Case Management.