Celebrating a 99.95% Adoption from Child Welfare Success Rate During Last Fiscal Year

DENVER, CO [Nov. 9, 2026] — In observance of National Adoption Month this November, the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) and Raise the Future are celebrating adoptive families across Colorado and highlighting the importance of ongoing post-permanency support. Raise the Future is a nonprofit that connects youth in foster care with caring adults and supports those relationships for a lifetime.

As of October 2026, records from Trails, the CDHS child welfare database, identify 12,011 children who were in adoption during state fiscal year 2026, including children adopted in previous years. With six adoption dissolutions reported among those children during that year, 99.95% of these adoptees in Colorado maintained permanency with their adoptive parents or relative guardians.

“Adoption creates supportive, loving families for children, youth and adults,” said Thom Miller, director of the Office of Children, Aging and Community Services (OCACS). “According to the National Council For Adoption (NCFA), 66.48% of U.S. adoptions in 2022 were from foster care, excluding stepparent adoptions. Our primary goal remains reunification. When that is not possible, adoption supports the long-term goal of providing stability and hope.”

Ongoing post-permanency support helps families navigate challenges and strengthen relationships. Through a partnership with CDHS, Raise the Future equips adoptive, kinship, and reunified families across Colorado with Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) training, coaching, and resources. Developed by the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development at Texas Christian University, TBRI® helps caregivers and professionals worldwide build trust, connection, and healing with children and youth who have experienced trauma.

“Adoption is a journey beyond just an adoption celebration. Families need support after an adoption has been finalized, and accessing that support does not mean that they are failing the child or youth or failing their families,” said Joseph Homlar, director of the Division of Child Welfare. “All parents need a hand from time to time, and these post-permanency options provide the right connections for families at the right time.”

“The everyday moments are where families put support into practice,” said Mariana Pino, vice president of Colorado Programs at Raise the Future. “Through training and individualized coaching, we help caregivers understand what a child’s behavior may be communicating and respond in ways that build trust and connection. Our partnership with CDHS helps make that support available to families across Colorado, including rural communities.”

Family support specialist Shelby Strehlow helps families navigate life after adoption through Raise the Future. Working directly with birth, foster, kinship, and adoptive families during in-home and virtual sessions, she uses TBRI® principles and playful, hands-on activities to help caregivers build practical skills, strengthen family connections and support healing.

“The most rewarding aspect of my role is standing alongside families during vulnerable moments and witnessing healing happening within family systems. I truly am inspired by the caregivers and kids we get to serve,” said Shelby.

Jessica and Jack adopted their sons, Jude (six) and Joel (five), in 2020 and 2021. Living in northwest Denver, the family faced a difficult loss and turned to post-permanency support through Raise the Future and Project 127—a nonprofit that partners with churches and families to support vulnerable children through foster care, kinship care, adoption and family preservation. Through home visits and online training, they gained practical TBRI® tools to understand their sons’ needs better and respond to challenging moments in ways that build trust and connection.

Highlighting its dedication to stable families, Raise the Future was named Colorado’s 2026 Angels in Adoption® honoree by U.S. Representative Diana DeGette. Presented in Washington, D.C., the national award recognizes the organization’s vital advocacy and ongoing support for children and families navigating child welfare.

Currently, more than 250 children and youth in Colorado are waiting for adoptive families, including siblings and teens. View profiles of waiting children at coheartgallery.org. Colorado also needs foster and kinship caregivers who can support children and youth with a range of needs. To learn about fostering or adopting, including eligibility requirements and the application process, visit co4kids.org or raisethefuture.org.

About the Colorado Office of Children, Aging and Community Services                   

The Office of Children, Aging, and Community Services (OCACS) is an office within the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) dedicated to promoting the safety, permanency and well-being of Coloradans of all ages. OCACS provides statewide leadership, funding, policy development and oversight in partnership with county human services departments, Tribes, Area Agencies on Aging and community organizations. OCACS oversees Child Welfare, Community Programs, and Aging and Adult Protective Services, which collectively ensure consistent and effective service delivery for vulnerable populations across their lifespans. Learn more at cdhs.colorado.gov.

About Raise the Future: Connect Youth. Support Families. Create Hope.

At Raise the Future, we believe every young person deserves to go through life knowing they have a caring adult by their side. Through innovative programs and partnerships, we connect youth in foster care with stable, supportive families and provide the tools and resources they need to thrive. With a focus on building lifelong connections and supportive relationships, Raise the Future works every day to change the journey for youth in foster care, one meaningful relationship at a time. Learn more at raisethefuture.org.