Press Releases & Announcements

Adams County Celebrates National Adoption Day

Today, seven children in Adams County were welcomed into five families for a new start on National Adoption Day. The Human Services Department and the 17th Judicial District hosted the adoptive families at the Justice Center for a special celebration at the Justice Center earlier this morning.

“Today, we celebrated the extraordinary love, resilience, and hope that can bring children and families together,” says Lynn Baca, Chair of the Adams County Board of Commissioners. “Every child deserves a safe and nurturing home, and every forever family reminds us of the power of community.”

National Adoption Day exists to draw special attention to the more than 100,000 U.S. children in foster care waiting for permanent and loving families. From its inception in 2000, this annual, one-day event has celebrated more than 90,000 adoptions.

Adams County joins more than 400 communities nationwide in celebrating adoptions from foster care. The county projects a total of 55 adoptions will be finalized by the end of this year. Of those adoptions, 29 are kin adoptions and 26 are foster adoptions.

While the total adoption number is less than previous years, there’s a very good reason. Colorado recently shifted to a “kin-first” foster care system which prioritizes placing children with relatives or family friends because it leads to better outcomes including reduced trauma, improved stability, and stronger emotional and cultural connections. Due to this shift, the number of kinship foster care certifications has increased by nearly 40%.

As the adoptive community in Adams County continues to grow, families can learn more about fostering, kinship fostering, and adopting by visiting adamscountyco.gov/adoption.