On This Day
Shaping Policy that Heals Advancing Healing-Centered Schools: Our July 31 Roundtable On the Day History Was Made, Illinois Leaders Gather to Prioritize Mental Health for Adoptive, Foster, and Kinship Youth: On the very same day Governor JB Pritzker signed a landmark bill making Illinois the first state in the nation to mandate mental health screenings […]
Shaping Policy That Heals – August 2025
Shaping Healing Policy: Why HB1806 Matters This school year, the headlines are full of AI innovation—automated tutoring, lesson planning, and even virtual therapy bots. But in Illinois, lawmakers just drew a powerful line in the sand: some things should only be done by a human. Enter Illinois House Bill 1806, now signed into law. HB1806 […]
When Mainstream Parenting Advice Misses the Mark
Many popular parenting books were written for families built on stability—not for those raising children with histories of loss, trauma, or disrupted attachment. For adoptive, foster, and kinship caregivers, traditional advice to “let go” or “step back” can be harmful. These families need guidance that centers connection, safety, and healing—not hustle and independence. Here’s why a new parenting lens matters.
Dysregulation
For children in adoptive, foster, and kinship homes, healing doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens in relationships. When school staff encounter struggling caregivers, it’s easy to assume resistance. But what if that parent is simply overwhelmed? This article helps school social workers and educators shift from judgment to curiosity, offering five powerful ways to support families through a connection-first, systems-oriented lens.
From the Founder – August 2025
What AI Can’t Teach—and What Truly Changes Everything Dear Friends, At the Fear to Love conference this summer, Bryan Post shared a line that stayed with me: “Fear says, ‘Fix it.’ Love says, ‘Create the relationship and the environment to allow the behavior to fix itself.’” It reminded me why iCARE exists. Whether it’s insights […]
Don’t Just Do Something, Stand There!
Michael was impeccably dressed in a tiny tie and suit coat, standing on a busy street corner in Sofia, Bulgaria looking for his parents. At three, he was realizing, along with some passers-by, that he had been abandoned. He would never see his parents again. He was referred to me ten years later following treatment […]
Shaping Policy that Heals – June/July
Celebrating Progress and Charting a Path Forward Our Legislative Spotlight has a new name: Shaping Policy That Heals– because real change starts with bold ideas and vision. At iCARE, we’re not just following policy—we are working to shape it, so every child and family has the support they need to heal, belong, and thrive. Celebrating Progress […]
International Adoptee Experience Report – April 2025
Prepared for Distribution to iCARE Members Overview This report summarizes the findings of a recent survey of international adoptees, with a primary focus on individuals adopted from China. The data reflects responses from 27 participants, all of whom were adopted internationally. The aim of the survey was to better understand adoptee perspectives on their experiences […]
Assembly Day June 21
Assembly Day June 21, 2025 We’re assembling something BIG—and we need your hands and your heart! Please join us for our June iCARE4 Schools Connection Kit™ Assembly Day! If you care about education, mental health, and strengthening families, this is your chance to be part of something meaningful, fun, and deeply impactful. 📅 When: Saturday, […]
From the Founder – May 2025
May is both National Mental Health Awareness Month and National Foster Care Month—two causes central to our mission at iCARE. We’re excited to welcome Jocelyn Fetting, a fierce advocate with lived experience, to help drive our efforts to get Connection Kits™ into schools. Her powerful voice, alongside contributions from other champions like Cathleen Beachboard and Pam Myers, is helping us create real, systemic change for children in adoptive, foster, and kinship families.