MARCH 2024 • ISSUE 2 • VOLUME 4
Earlier this month, we had the pleasure of gathering with Weld County foster and kinship families for a Town Hall meeting. CHAMPS (Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance)
and Foster Source facilitated this opportunity to give an update, share goals, and answer questions. The entire Weld County Child Welfare Leadership Team, including Foster Care Supervisor Kelly Krause, and Department of Human Services Director Jamie Ulrich, were on hand.
We shared that currently in Weld County we have 97 children and youth in a non-kin family setting, 143 children and youth placed with kin, 17 with parents on a trial home visit, and 14 youth living on their own with a paid stipend. The national average for kinship placements in child welfare is around 30%; in Weld County that number is doubled. That’s a testament to our community and the willingness of so many to step into supportive caregiving roles when friends and family are in need. Thanks to our foster parents, 96% percent of local youth placed in non-kinship care are placed in Weld County foster homes. We have drastically reduced the amount of youth in higher levels of care in the past five years. These results are driven by our continued vision to provide youth with a community of safe and stable families and individuals where the basic needs of all are met with respect and dignity.
As a former foster parent, and now as a recruiter, I can attest to the fact that understanding Child Welfare is a slow process. Every case is different. Every family is different. There are many people impacted by decisions made under federal and state rules. If you’re a foster or kinship parent, you’re a valuable member of the team. We hope you’ll take advantage of these and other opportunities, to learn more and ask questions whenever you have them.
We appreciate you,
- Kristy
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Weld County Department of Human Services staff are advocating for bill SB24-125 at the legislature for a more streamlined and responsive ICPC (Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children) process for children and youth needing kinship placement across state lines.
 Left to Right: Jamie Ulrich, Weld County Department of Human Services Director; Karin McDougal, Deputy County Attorney; John Wittwer, Youth Services Intake Supervisor; Jamie Sanders, Kinship and Home Study Supervisor.
Are you interested in learning more about foster care? Register for orientation to learn more about foster care and the certification process.
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Wednesday, March 27, 2024: 4:30 to 6 p.m., virtual via Microsoft Teams.
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Wednesday, April 10, 2024: 4:30 to 6 p.m., Weld County Human Services, Building A, 315 N 11th Ave., Greeley.
 You’ve already attended orientation? Register for pre-certification training by contacting Kristy at deandakr@weldgov.com. The schedule for these trainings
is below.
Upcoming Pre-Certification Training – (Choose One Cohort to Meet Training Requirements)
Cohort 4 (Friday/Saturday Intensive) - 24 Hours of NTDC Training
Meets April 6, 19, and 20. Saturdays all day at Rez Church in Loveland (6502 E. Crossroads Blvd.); Friday night via Zoom.
Cohort 5 (Wednesdays, Greeley In-Person & Zoom Hybrid) -
24 Hours of NTDC Training
Meets Tuesdays, May 7 to June 25, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Classes 1, 2, and 8 will be in-person at Zoe’s in Greeley (715 10th St.); Classes 3 through 7 will be virtual via Zoom.
Consider Becoming a Therapeutic Foster Home
Currently, approximately 400 children and youth in Colorado, and about 10 in Weld County, are receiving care in a congregate care setting, such as a residential treatment center or group home. Weld County is currently recruiting therapeutic foster families to provide similar levels of treatment but in a family setting. Our goal is to meet the needs of all our youth right here in Weld County and in a family setting. For more information, contact deandakr@weldgov.com or visit this website.
Therapeutic Foster Care Information Coffee Date – New Opportunity!
Tuesday, March 19, 1 p.m. at Aunt Helen’s, 800 8th Ave, Greeley.
Join Kelly Krause and Kristy DeAnda to discuss therapeutic foster care needs and learn more about whether it’s a good fit for you. RSVP to deandakr@weld.gov.
When Bobby Lucero became a caseworker in Weld County his primary goal was to “be a superhero.” To him, this meant holding families accountable and keeping children safe. Now, almost 12 years later, Bobby has recognized – and embraced – that there’s so much more to the job. Read more on CO4Kids.
Foster Source Training - Virtual
From Blow-Up to Bonding with Dr. Wirta-Leiker
Finding the Balance of Attachment-Focused Discipline
Saturday, March 16
9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
How can you turn moments of struggle into moments of connection? Discover how brain development, implicit memories and the "6 Fs" (Fight, Flight, Freeze, Friend, Fidget, Flop) can influence your foster or adoptive child's reactions to traditional methods of discipline and develop compassionate, creative and effective strategies for limit setting and consequences that simultaneously enhance healthy attachment patterns in the child-caregiver relationship. Tools to cope with common struggles will be addressed, including separation anxiety, transitions, homework, aggression, lying, stealing, hoarding, argumentativeness and sleep anxiety.
Weld County Foster, Adoption, and Kinship Support Group
Upcoming Date: April 13
Meets the third Thursday of the month, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Department of Human Services, Bldg. A, 315 N. 11th Ave, Greeley
Join us to connect with other foster parents, kinship caregivers, adoptive parents, childcare providers, and family child care (FCC) home providers to share parenting strategies, successes, and struggles with those who can relate! Child care and dinner are provided. We focus on support around parenting and caregiving issues using a nationally recognized, research-based framework for keeping children safe and families strong. RSVP here.
Boundaries Training Opportunity - Virtual
Tuesday, April 30, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Virtual, via Microsoft Teams
Shari Simmons will share about boundaries. More information to come! RSVP to Kelly Krause at krausekc@weldgov.com.
De-Escalation Training Opportunity - Virtual
De-escalation training coming up in April. More information to come. Contact Kelly Krause at krausekc@weldgov.com for questions.
A big thanks to Rebalance for another fun-packed event for Weld County’s foster, kinship, and adoptive youth - and an opportunity for parents to have a night out! Read what people are saying about Rebalance below. For more information about Rebalance, visit coloradorebalance.com.
What People Are Saying:
"This group gave my son a real sense of perspective. He saw others who have traveled further down negative paths and the consequences of them. He had things explained to him in a different way than before, and the group of adults seem to have reached him in different ways that were more understandable to him."
- Parent of a Rebalance student
"Our students have a lot of trauma and our working with Rebalance is such a logical partnership to help them heal. They're getting this extracurricular experience, but they're also getting this really deep, therapeutic experience - whether they realize it or not. That's why we partner with Rebalance."
- Licensed School Counselor & Rebalance partner
Operation Foster Hope (Foster Closet)
Operation Foster Hope provides clothing, shoes, diapers, nursery items, furniture, strollers, car seats, school supplies, hygiene products, safety equipment and other needed items to families free of charge.
For more information, email operationfosterhopecloset@gmail.com.
Referral Incentives
Foster parents are the best recruiters! Weld County foster parents can refer a family, up to five per calendar year, and receive $100 upon placement. The referred family must name you at inquiry or by their orientation. Have your friends and family visit www.weldgov.com/go/fostercare for more information and to register for orientation.
Weld County is proud to partner with Realities for Children, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, to collect monetary and item donations for our children and teens in foster care. Your gift provides emergency funding to Weld County youth who have been abused, neglected or are
at-risk. All donations are tax deductible, and 100% of your donation goes directly to help our children and teens in foster care. Click here for more information.
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