LGBTQ+ Family Building Pathways: Adoption 101 Workshop/Seminar

LGBTQ+ Family Building Pathways: Adoption 101 Workshop/Seminar 

What:

• What to expect in adoption: the steps from orientation and home study to placement and finalization.
• Key considerations before you begin: legal, financial, logistical, and emotional preparation.
• What support throughout the process can look like

We will also dig into barriers that LGBTQ+ prospective parents often encounter, including bias within systems, inconsistent policies across agencies or counties, questions about eligibility and identity, and practical challenges that may not show up on paper.  Our goal is to provide transparent, thoughtful guidance on adoption to help you make informed decisions about whether this path aligns with your values, capacity, and vision for family. We hope to see you there.  

Meet the Facilitators:

America Islas, MS., LMFT (she/her/ella)

America is a passionate leader, advocate, and change maker in LGBTQ+ affirming care, dedicated to dismantling barriers, challenging biases, and creating safe, inclusive, and empowering spaces for everyone. Her work is rooted in the belief that everyone, regardless of gender identity, expression, or sexual orientation, deserves access to high quality, affirming mental health care and permanency that fosters self-acceptance, resilience, and healing. With over ten years of experience, America has played a pivotal role in educating and mentoring mental health professionals in best practices for gender-affirming therapy. Through training, consultation, advocacy, and cultural humility she equips professionals with the skills to provide competent, inclusive, and culturally responsive care, ensuring that LGBTQ+ individuals, especially Trans and Nonbinary communities, receive the respect, validation, and support they deserve.

Sara Tucker, MA | RFA Program Supervisor (She/her/hers) 

Sara Tucker is the Resource Family Approval Program Supervisor at Family Builders. With a Master's degree in Counseling, Sara has worked in child welfare for over 25 years, providing education and advocacy for youth and families involved in the foster care system, including supporting birth families in reunification and preparing adoptive families for trauma-informed parenting. Sara has a child-centered approach, and believes that every child deserves a loving, permanent home and family.

When:

Wednesday, May 13th • 6:00 - 7:30pm

Where:

Taking place virtually via secure Zoom phone and video conference -- Participants will receive the Zoom meeting information via email following registration.

For More Information:

Please register using the link at the top of this page, and we'll contact you with the secure telehealth conference call phone number and video link URL. To be sure to allow us enough time to get back to you with the contact information, please register as early as possible; remember also to check your spam folder if you've not received access info. Our video and audio conferencing are HIPAA-compliant and preserve the security and confidentiality of all our participants to the highest standards possible. [Further information about Zoom meeting HIPAA compliance here.]

We are committed to ensuring our programs are accessible to all families. When you're registering, please let us know of any accommodations that would help your family participate to the fullest (e.g. ASL interpreter, translated materials, childcare providers experienced with kids with disabilities, large print materials, gluten-free food options, etc.). If registering within 48 hours of the event, please call 415-981-1960 to ensure our receipt of your request. This event – including refreshments and childcare, as applicable – is offered free for all attendees. As you are able, please help us continue offering these resources to all who need them, by making a financial donation to OFC.