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 for all students Pre-K through 12, our nonprofit, iCARE4 Adoptive And Foster Families, hosted a powerful roundtable bringing together over 35 education leaders, mental health professionals, and families with lived experience.

We believe what is unseen cannot be helped—and that belief anchored our conversation. Adoptive, foster, and kinship youth often carry early experiences of relational loss and trauma that may not be visible, but deeply affect their learning, behavior, and mental well-being. Together, we discussed how schools can be equipped not only to see these children, but to truly support them.

Laura Adams, Founder and President of iCARE, opened the morning with this reminder:

“Our children’s brains aren’t broken—they’re brilliant. They don’t need fixing—they need connection.”

From there, the day unfolded with deep insight and authentic storytelling. Jocelyn Fetting, a recent graduate and former foster youth, spoke about the power of education and relationships to shift outcomes for youth impacted by child welfare. Betty Rivers, Youth Lived Experience Specialist at C.A.S.E., reminded us that behind every policy is a child—and urged us to consider the lasting impact of relational loss and the urgent need for adoption-competent care.

We were honored to be joined by Representative Michelle Mussman and Dr. Dana Weiner, whose tireless leadership has strengthened school mental health in Illinois. We’re also proud to spotlight the West40 team—Demien La Pointe and Sonya Spaulding—who shared their innovative work co-leading mental health training with C.A.S.E. and implementing iCARE’s Connection Kits™ to help schools support students with complex stories.

As Illinois begins implementing universal mental health screenings, we have a collective responsibility to ensure schools are not only identifying which students are struggling—but are also prepared to respond with the context, training, and compassion our children deserve.

To every educator, policymaker, and parent who joined us: thank you.
We’re building a stronger, more healing-centered future—together.

Because when we connect, children thrive.