Resources

Below are links to helpful resources for adoptive, foster and relative placement parents and guardians:

2023 Foster/Adoptive Parent Resource Fair Vendor List

    • Amerigroup Iowa, Inc.: Managed Care Organization providing Medicaid health insurance.

    Website: https://www.myamerigroup.com/ia/iowa- home.html

    Contact: Natalie Ross natalie.ross@anthem.com

    • Bikers Against Child Abuse:  A body of Bikers that empower children to not be afraid of the world in which they live.   

    Website: https://iowa.bacaworld.org/

    Contact: Doc  doc@cr-ia.bacaworld.org

    • Car Seat Station: Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician

    Website: https://www.facebook.com/thecarseatstation/       

    Contact: Angela Tastad  carseatstation@gmail.com

    • Central Furniture Rescue: Gently used furniture resource-Helping turn a new place to live into a home.

    Website: https://centralfurniturerescue.org/

    Contact: Susan Johnston susan@centralfurniturerescue.org

    • Chair Massages: Massage Therapist    

    Contact: Melissa Gansemer melissagansemer@yahoo.com

    • Foundation 2 Crisis Services/Amp- 24/7 crisis support for people of all ages including phone, in-person care, emergency youth shelter and support services for youth aging out of foster care.

    Website: https://foundation2.org/

                        Contact:  Renae  Koth  rkoth@foundation2.org

    • Four Oaks Foster and Adoptive Family Connections: Contracted by Iowa Health and Human Services to recruit, train, license and support Iowa’s foster and adoptive families.

    Website:https://iowafosterandadoption.org/relatives/?src=google&kwd=foster%20care&campaignid=12011803822&adgroupid=119921446990&keyword=foster%20care&device=c&gclid=CjwKCAjw0ZiiBhBKEiwA4PT9z2UeGkfqbpO7O1ncQHthMZHWmXSR0yEciMNdvbYPcIExRe8JHG_zChoCmzUQAvD_BwE

    Contact: Tonya Watters  tnwatters@fouroaks.org

    • HACAP:  Connection program administers mental health screenings.

    Website: https://www.hacap.org/

    Contact: Monica Miranda  mmiranda@hacap.com

    • HACAP Family Learning Connections: Family education workshops.

    Website: https://www.hacap.org/flc

    Contact: Samantha Owens  SOwens@hacap.org

    • Heart and Solutions: Strength based therapy for individuals, couples, and families.

    Website: http://heartandsolutions.net/

    Contact: Tami Adams  tamia@heartandsolutions.net

    • Iowa 4-H Positive Youth Development : Empowering youth to reach their full potential through youth-adult partnerships and research based experiences.

        Website: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/services/pyd

    Contact: Amey Kollar  akollar@iastate.edu

    • Iowa Child Care Resource and Referral: Assists families in finding childcare providers who meet the need of a child and their family.

    Website:www.iowaccrr.org  

    Contact: Paula Vandervelde  PVandervelde@caeiowa.org

    • Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: Offers a wide variety of educational programs for all 99 counties including: childcare programs, youth development resources, youth, and adult mental health first aid, camps and family finance programs.

    Website: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/

    Contact: Demi Johnson Demij@iastate.edu

    • Iowa Total Care: Managed Care Organization providing Medicaid health insurance.

    Website: https://www.iowatotalcare.com/

    Contact: Linda White and Sharrell Soliveras  linda.n.white@iowatotalcare.com Sharrell.L.Soliveras@iowatotalcare.com

    • Life Connections: Mental health therapy, BHIS services, Children’s Mental Health Waiver Services, Applied Behavior Analysis, School Based Therapy and Medication Management.  

    Website:    https://life-connections.org/about-life-connections/

    Contact: Emily Krapfl  e.krapfl@life-connections.org

    • My Care Community/Linn County Public Health:  A network of over 35 heath care and social service providers to help find the care you need.

    Website: https://www.linncountyiowa.gov/1281/My-Care-Community

    Contact: Jo Bridgewater  jo.bridgewater@linncountyiowa.gov

    • NAMI Linn County: Improve the lives of people and families affected by mental illness through support, education, and advocacy.

    Website: https://namilinncounty.org/

    Contact: Nancy Edwards   edwardsn64@gmail.com

    • Stride Autism Centers :  Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy company providing services to children ages 2-6.

    Website:  https://stridecenters.com/locations/hiawatha-ia/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=gmb&utm_campaign=hiawatha&utm_id=stride

    Contact: Katie Saltzman  ksaltzman@stridecenters.com

    • Success Street: A Collaboration of agencies in the Cedar Valley whose mission is to improve adolescent sexual health outcomes and strengthen young parent families.  Service area includes Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan and Butler counties.

    Website: https://www.successlink.us/together-for-youth

    Contact: Jean Gallmeyer  jean@successlink.us

    • Successful Survivors Foundation (Guest Speaker)

    Website: https://www.amberjewell.org/

    Contact: Amber Jewell LMSW  amberjewellspeaks@gmail.com

    • The Dance Academy of Cedar Rapids: Dance Studio      

                        Website: https://www.danceacademycr.com/

    Contact: Elizabeth Kimmel  elizabeth@danceacademycr.com

    • Together We Achieve: Low barrier evening food pantry and meal site.

    Website: https://togetherweachieve.org/

    Contact: Raymond Siddell  raymonds@togetherweachieve.org

    • YMCA Camp Wapsi: Offers summer and seasonal camp and retreat programs for kids, families, and groups.

    Website: https://www.crmetroymca.org/campwapsie/

    Contact: Paul Denowski  denowski@crmetroymca.org

    • Your Life Iowa: A knowledgeable, nonjudgmental support for Iowa’s with a concern or question about alcohol, substance use, mental health, suicide, or gambling.

    Website:  https://yourlifeiowa.org/?utm_medium=ppc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=yourlifeiowa2023&utm_term=https://yourlifeiowa.org/&utm_content=Support%20and%20Help%20General&gclid=CjwKCAjw0ZiiBhBKEiwA4PT9z10_r8UsRAVzgT_JVoag61eSLp18RhljRi94VyV-lAZxDiQ988zmbRoCXisQAvD_BwE

    Contact: Jena Schoenhofer jschoenhofer@foundation2.org