The Coalition serves New York’s most vulnerable children and their caregivers. These are children who are or were in the foster care system and/or were adopted domestically or internationally.

We must reduce the tremendous barriers to clinical care for families, especially low-to-moderate income families, living in New York state: the financial barrier and the lack of therapists competent in effective mental health strategies for children who have been adopted, have poor attachments, and have experienced trauma.

By becoming an AFCTN Therapist, YOU can be part of the change for children, youth, and families!

Listed on the New York Adoption and Foster Care Therapist Network Services Directory

Knowing that many of the issues facing adoptive and foster families, adult adopted persons, and birth family members are complex and frequently challenging, the Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York provides a public listing of AFCTN members who self-identify themselves as having adoption/foster care competent clinical training and experience working with adoption and foster families.  Members who have completed further training and/or are part of the referral program are highlighted. A therapist may be adoption competent but not attachment or trauma competent.  The AFCTN is limited to mental health professionals who are able to serve New York state. 

Supported through National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training with the AFFCNY-NTI Coaching Consortium Cohort Support

The National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training (NTI) provides foundational knowledge to more effectively address the unique adoption related issues that arise throughout the lifespan of the adoptive or guardianship/kinship family. This training, approved by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) for 25 continuing education credits, consists of 30 hours of virtual training in 10 modules over 5 months (2 modules per month).

The AFFCNY-NTI Coaching Consortium provides ongoing support through 1 cohort meeting per month with other professionals led by a NTI Implementation Specialists, Lisa Maynard and Shamele Hill. Monthly commitment of 8 hours per month. (6 hours of training + 2 hours cohort)

Offered Specialized Training Opportunities

Other forms of therapy such as neurofeedback, brain spotting and EMDR have proven to be very successful with our families. The AFCTN is dedicated to bringing expert trainers in the field to New York to augment the training and expertise of the practitioners allowing them to better meet our families’ needs. 

Currently, open to all parents and professionals, the AFCTN is offering a 2-day training opportunity for Neurofeedback on September 15th and 16th with trainers Michael Cohen and Arleta James. DOWNLOAD FLYER PDF

This FREE 1-hour Introductory Neurofeedback webinar on July 14th will introduce you to the treatment and explain how it can benefit individuals and families. After attending the webinar, the 2-Day Neurofeedback course will be available to those who are interested! Spots are limited and we invite both professionals and parents who are interested to register now!

Partnership through the Family Adoption Competent Therapy (FACT) Funding Program

The FACT Funding Program is our new initiative launched in 2022. Through various funding*, the Coalition provides New York youth and families with five free therapy sessions with our vetted AFCTN membership; New York State therapists proven competent in adoption, attachment, and trauma issues.

• Therapists bill the Coalition directly eliminating any barriers due to cost or insurance approvals. The Coalition works with each AFCTN therapist to agree on a competitive rate of payment.
• Once a family is processed into the program, we reach out to therapists in our network, make the best fit, and connect them directly to our families.

This is a new program, initially piloted in New York City in 2022. To date, we have focused on establishing the fund to provide direct support to children and their families in need of mental health services.

Free Membership in the Closed AFCTN Support, Resources, and Information Network Space

All practitioners are invited to join the AFCTN space in the AFFCNY.Network.

The AFCTN regularly decimates information on adoption & foster care conferences, trauma, treatments, books, other training opportunities and resources though the Adoption & Foster Care Therapists Network space. The online resource group is a closed group hosted on the Coalition’s larger support network. We encourage mental health professionals from all backgrounds to join the AFFCNY.Network. Those who become members to the AFCTN will receive invitations to the private space.

The Adoption & Foster Care Therapist Network is a program of the Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York.

The Coalition is so very grateful to our generous partners for hearing the needs of families in NYS and helping us provide the solutions our families need.

The Adoption and Foster Care Therapist Network Program is funded in part by the following: