Training for Adoption Competency (TAC) offered by YouthCare HealthChoice Illinois

April 14, 2026 to September 15, 2026

The TAC program is a nationally recognized, evidence-based, postgraduate training program for licensed clinicians who work with adoptive families in a broad range of settings. TAC is accredited by the Institute for Credentialing Excellence and is the only accredited certificate program in adoption competency in the country.

Sessions last three hours and 15 minutes every Tuesday morning from 9 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Central Time beginning on 4/14/2026 and ending on 9/15/2026.

If you need ADA Accommodations, please email us with the name and date of the training at least 3 weeks in advance at: [email protected] .

Target Audience

Registrants must meet the requirements below:

  • Must be a Master’s level therapist who is licensed (or working toward licensure) in Illinois.
  • Prefer therapists who are currently serving children in and/or adopted from foster care.
  • Applicants accepted into the class must sign a participant agreement and agree to attend all session
Course summary
Course opens: 
02/03/2026
Course expires: 
09/29/2026
Event starts: 
04/14/2026 - 9:00am CDT
Event ends: 
09/15/2026 - 12:15pm CDT
Add to calendar: 

Course Program

Sessions last 3.25 hours every Tuesday morning from 9 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Central Time beginning on 4/14/2026 and ending on 9/15/2026. Note: 9/15/26 Session will be an opportunity to complete the TAC Assessment. 

Modules

  • Module 1 Self-Paced. Complete by 4/7/2026- Adoption history, law, and process
  • Module 2 – 4/14/2026 & 4/21/2026- Theoretical/philosophical framework of adoption competent mental health practice
  • Module 3 – 4/28/2026 & 5/5/2026 - Meeting the mental health needs of adopted individuals and their families
  • Module 4 – 5/12/2026 & 5/19/2026- The impact of separation, loss and grief: clinical strategies for healing
  • Module 5 – 5/26/2026 & 6/2/2026- Trauma and neurobiology
  • Module 6 – 6/9/2026 & 6/16/2026- Enhancing parent-child attachment
  • Module 7 – 6/23/2026 & 6/30/2026- Supporting identity formation for adolescents and young adults
  • Module 8 – 7/7/2026 & 7/14/2026- Supporting children, youth, and families as they prepare for adoption
  • Module 9 – 7/21/2026 & 7/28/2026- Clinical issues in working with birth and kinship families
  • Module10 – 8/4/2026 & 8/11/2026- Openness in adoption
  • Module 11 – 8/18/2026 & 8/25/2026- Race, ethnicity, and culture in adoption
  • Module 12 – 9/1/2026 & 9/8/2026- Therapeutic parenting: Parents as primary vehicles for healing
  • TAC Assessment – 9/15/2026
Online
United States
  • Chad Sedam, PhD, CRC    
  • Easter Spates, M.Ed., LPC-S
  • Erin Burritt, OT, OTD, OTR
  • Gary Pate, MSSW, LCSW                  
  • Stan Waddell, MAMFC, MARE, LPC-S

 

 

Continuing Education is available. Participants are eligible to receive 55.5 CEs through Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) after the completion and passage of the TAC final assessment.  

Please login or register to take this course.

This is a live event. Attendees will need to be logged into the LMS to access this course.

Please select "Take Course" above to begin. You will also receive an email confirmation of your enrollment in the course.

Note: Course will close 14-calendar days after the last day of training on September 15th. Please complete the evaluation within this 14‑calendar day window.

Required Hardware/software

Instructor-Led Trainings are best viewed on a Desktop, Laptop or Tablet. When you enter the training, please be sure you are in the Zoom room individually & you will also need to connect to audio either via their device or call into the conference number.