Revised: 03/11/2016
General Information and Resources:
Cache, Box Elder, and Rich Counties
2016
The Adoption Exchange
Toll-Free: 1-866-872-7212
Phone Number:(801)265-0444
Website:
The Adoption Exchange website contains information and resources for pre through post adoption services for each region of Utah.
Newsletter:Adoption Connection Newsletter
The newsletter is sent each quarter to all DCFS adoptive families receiving subsidy. It contains current Utah specific information regarding resources and adoption issues.
Other Programs:
-The Lending Library is available to all with no charge. It can be accessed at There are over 1,000 titles to choose from including books and videos.
-Utah Cares at many human service resources throughout Utah. To contact them by telephone call 211.
Support Groups
Cluster Groups:
Cache Valley:
Contact Laura at (435)753-7232
Box Elder:
Contact Holly at (435)851-2509 (Call or text)
Level III Cluster:
Contact Jill by email at . Adoption Cluster:
Contact Maegan(801)392-1114
Post-Adoption Cluster
There is a post-adoption cluster now available in the Ogden area. It is taught by the DCFS post-adoption team. Any one that is considering adoption or is just about through the process may attend.
*For a current list of Cluster Group facilitators and group activities contact the Utah Foster Care Foundation at (435)-636-0210 or visit their website at
Region Office: 877-392-1114
Specialized Groups:
Bear River Head Start
Bear River Head Start in Logan has a Family Based Peer/Parent Education program.
Phone number: 1-877-755-0081
Website:
BRIDGES-NAMI
NAMI Family Support Groups are free, confidential and safe. BRIDGES is designed to be education for individuals living with mental illness. It is held every Friday afternoon 3:00 – 5:30 at the NAMI Cache Valley Office.
Phone Number: (435)787-4165
Website:
Child and Family Support Center:
The Child and Family Support Center in Cache Countyoffers a number of classes including a parenting class that is open to any parent. Visit their website for a list of classes and schedules..
Contactfor Cache County:(435)752-8880 for Box Elder: 435-723-6010 or 1-800-733-6010
Website:
Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
CHADD provides support and education for parents of youth who are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder.
Website:
Family Support Group-NAMI
NAMI Family Support Groups are free, confidential and safe groups of families helping other families who live with mental health challenges by utilizing their collective lived experiences and learned group wisdom. They are held the first Wednesday each month 7:30 pm at the NAMI Cache Valley Office.
Phone Number: (435)787-4165
Website: .
Utah’s Parent Information & Resource Center
PIRC, a part of Utah Family Partnership Network, has classes, books, videos and other resources for parents and children.
Contact: Barbara Smith
Carbon County Phone Number: (385)-646-4155
Website:
Utah Foster/Adoptive Family Association
The Utah Foster/Adoptive Family Association focuses on advocacy and support for foster and adoptive families.
*GAP: There is no specialized group support for parents with troubled teenagers.
Children’s Support Groups:
Child and Family Support Center
Child and Family Support Center provides social skills groups for children 7 – 10 years of age and anger management classes for children 11 – 13 years of age.
Phone Number For Cache County: (435)752-8880 for Box Elder: 435-723-6010 or 1-800-733-6010
Website:
Utah State University
Utah State University’s Family and Youth Department has a mentoring program entitled Community Based Youth and Families with Promise Mentoring Program.
*8-14 years old (3rd- 8th grade)
Phone Number: (435)586-8132
*GAP: There are no known regularly scheduled support groups for children who have been adopted.
Culture Groups:
- Check with your agency to see what they offer. Many of the cultural groups are now meeting with the agency that they adopted through. They feature different activities for adoptive families to get involved in.
- There is also a Facebook group for transracial families living in Utah.
- Other good places to find information about culture groups include: checking the internet for yahoo groups and blogs that feature the culture you are looking for.
Adoptive Families Circle
Adoptive Families Circle offers a number of support groups for families looking for support from a specific area of the country.
Website:
(Under ‘Groups,’ you can find support groups varying from international, domestic and foster care adoptions.)
Domino Foundation
The Domino Foundation supports transracial families.
Website:
Email:
Respite Care
Helpful Tips
- Informal supports such as relatives, friends, or church members are used for respite care by most parents in Carbon and Emery Counties.
- Common activities such as scouts, sports, and church activities can provide regular breaks for parents while their children are involved in the programs. They have activities like: soccer, little jazz basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, in which many parents are given breaks while other parents participate with the children.
- Cluster Group members have exchanged respite care for each other. Cluster group members are familiar to the family. The care is provided by a cluster member who may have experience with children with similar behaviors. (Adoptive parents would have to get a Respite Care license if they wanted to be available for respite care exchange with foster parents.)
1- 4 Hour Scheduled Respite:
Bridgerland Region Child Care Resource and Referral Program
The Bridgerland Region Child Care Resource and Referral program has a computerized data base of all the licensed child care in Rich, Box Elder, and Cache Counties. There are child care providers who provide child care after school, on a drop-in basis, and provide summer programs.
-Logan Parks and Recreation’s Summer Playground, Boys and Girls Club programs, and Utah State University College of Family Life Child Development Labs are some of the child care resources available.
-Some of these programs accommodate children up to ages 12 or 13. A parent can arrange daily after school or summer programs or can arrange 1-4 days a week. Some providers have structured programs with low adult to child ratios and many have special training to help them with the difficult to manage children. Costs vary.
-They also have a list of many local groups, activities, summer camps, as well as child care resources available.
Phone Number: (435)797-1552 or 1-800-670-1552
Website:
Child and Family Support Centers
The Child and Family Support Centers in Box Elder and Cache Counties can provide scheduled respite care for children ranging in age from infants through 11 years old. They will try to accommodate the family’s requests depending on available space and needs of the parents. As space allows, they can take all children in the family who are infants through 11 years old.
Cache County Phone Number: (435)752-8880
Box Elder Phone Number: (435)723-6010 or 1-800-733-6010.
Day Breaks:
Bear River Head Start
Bear River Head Startis a comprehensive child development program designed to meet the educational, emotional, social, and health needs of children and families. Parents can have a break while the child is at school. Age range for children has to be between 0-4 years.
Phone Number:1 (877) 755-0081
Website:
Bridgerland Region Child Care Resource and Referral program
The Bridgerland Region Child Care Resource and Referral program has a computerized data base of all the licensed child care in Rich, Box Elder, and Cache Counties. There are child care providers who provide child care on a drop-in basis, and provide summer programs. Logan Parks and Recreation’s Summer Playground, Boys and Girls Club programs, and Utah State University College of Family Life Child Development Labs are some of the child care resources available. Some of these programs accommodate children up to ages 12 or 13. A parent can arrange daily summer programs or can arrange 1-4 days a week. Some providers have structured programs with low adult to child ratios and many have special training to help them with the difficult to manage children. Costs vary.
-They also have a list of many local groups, activities, summer camps, as well as child care resources available.
Contact:(435)797-1552 or 1-800-670-1552Website:
Child and Family Support Centers
The Child and Family Support Centers in Box Elder and Cache Counties can provide scheduled respite care for children ranging in age from infants through 11 years old. They will try to accommodate the family’s requests depending on available space and needs of the parents. As space allows, they can take all children in the family who are infants through 11 years old.
Cache County Phone Number: (435)752-8880
Box Elder Phone Number: (435)723-6010 or 1-800-733-6010.
Overnight Breaks - Weekend Breaks:
Child and Family Support Centers
The Child and Family Support Centers in Box Elder and Cache Counties can provide scheduled respite care for children ranging in age from infants through 11 years old. They will try to accommodate the family’s requests depending on available space and needs of the parents. As space allows, they can take all children in the family who are infants through 11 years old.
Cache County Phone Number: (435)752-8880
Box Elder Phone Number: (435)723-6010 or 1-800-733-6010.
GAP: There is no overnight respite care for youth 11 - 17 years old.
Immediate Crisis Respite:
Family Support Centers
Family Support Centers were established to provide immediate crisis respite care for up to 72 hours for children ranging in age from infancy through 11 years old.
Cache County Phone Number: (435)752-8880
Box Elder Phone Number: (435)723-6010 or 1-800-733-6010.
Cache Valley Youth Center
Cache Valley Youth Center provides crisis intervention for ungovernable or runaway youth ages 10-18 years of age. The services will try to resolve the crisis, but can provide crisis respite for up to 24 hours when needed.
Phone Number: (435)713-6267.
Mental Health Services
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Center for Excellence
FASD Center has an online website that provides families with resources and support groups. They provide online webinars and courses to help train and educate parents as well as facilitate lives for those affected by FASD.
Phone Number: 1-866-786-7327
Website:
The National Alliance on Mental Illness
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Utah’s mission is to ensure the dignity and improve the lives of those who live with mental illness and their families through support, education and advocacy. NAMI can be contacted for more information on support groups, classes and other services.
Rich County: No Services- call State Office at 801-323-9900
Cache County: 435-787-4165
Box Elder County: 435-730-5045
Website:
Counselors Who Specialize in Adoption:
Bear River Mental Health
Bear River Mental Healthis the Medicaid provider in Cache, Box Elder, and Rich Counties. They have a counselor, Tim Mitchell, who is experienced in foster and adoption related issues.
Cache County Phone Number: (435)752-8880
Box Elder Phone Number: (435)723-6010 or 1-800-733-6010.
Website:
*Note: Tim Mitchell would be willing to coordinate services with an adoptive parent peer-mentor for the Response Team Model in working with adoptive families.
Family Focused Treatment:
Bear River Mental Health
Bear River Mental Health, the Medicaid provider in Cache, Box Elder, and Rich Counties, can provide whole family therapy
Cache County Phone Number: (435)752-8880
Box Elder Phone Number: (435)723-6010 or 1-800-733-6010.
Website:
DCFS
DCFS Post Adoption services provide whole family focused, intensive, short-term families’ therapy for families who are considering disrupting or dissolving their adoption.
Contact: Stephanie Murphy
Phone Number: (801)776-7404
Contact: Jeanna O’Connor
Phone Number: (801)395-5973
Home-Based:
Bear River Mental Health
Bear River Mental Health, the Medicaid provider in Cache, Box Elder, and Rich Counties, has a counselor, Tim Mitchell, who has on rare occasions done home-based therapy when needed.
Cache County Phone Number: (435)752-8880
Box Elder Phone Number: (435)723-6010 or 1-800-733-6010.
Website:
DCFS
DCFS Post Adoption services provide whole family focused, intensive, short-term families’ therapy for families who are considering disrupting or dissolving their adoption.
Phone Number for Cache and Rich County: 435-787-3400 for Box Elder: 435-734-4075
Respond Within 24 Hours to Crisis:
Bear River Mental Health
Bear River Mental Health, the Medicaid provider in Cache, Box Elder, and Rich Counties, has a 24 hour crisis number. If the family is involved with a Bear River Mental Health therapist, the crisis worker can try to reach a specific therapist if prior arrangements have been made.
Logan Phone Number: (435)752-0750
Brigham City Phone Number: (435)734-9449
Tremonton Phone Number: (435)257-2168
Rich Phone Number: (800)620-9949
Website:
Family Preservation:
Bear River Mental Health
Bear River Mental Health, the Medicaid provider in Cache, Box Elder, and Rich Counties, does not have a multi-weekly, intensive Family Preservation Model. They can, however, have the family and child involved in a couple of different mental health programs in their agency to try to stabilize the family.
Cache County Phone Number: (435)752-8880
Box Elder Phone Number: (435)723-6010 or 1-800-733-6010.
Website:
DCFS
DCFS Family Preservation services are home-based and whole family focused, however, Family Preservation is an intensive, short-term model for families who are in danger of having a child return to DCFS custody or are considering disrupting or dissolving their adoption.
Contact: Stephanie Murphy
Phone Number: (801)776-7404
Contact: Jeanna O’Connor
Phone Number: (801)395-5973
*Note:The DCFS Post Adoption therapists would be open to working with an adoptive parent as an adoptive parent peer-mentor for a Response Team Model.
After School and School Treatment Programs:
Bear River Mental Health
-Bear River Mental Health, the Medicaid provider in Cache, Box Elder, and Rich Counties, has two after school programs. One is for children 6 - 12 years old two times a week. The other is for youth 13 - 17 years old once a week.
-They provide social skills, anger management, and functional skills. They deal with oppositional behavior, depression, and anxiety. The parents are required to participate in a weekly evening group to discuss how to help their children. The family is also involved in regular family or individual therapy sessions.
-They also have a respite care program for families involved in their treatment program. The family can arrange for 2 hours of respite care per week.
-They also have two pre-school groups. One is a filial play therapy group and the other is a group for pre-school children who are sexually reactive.
Contact: Linda Powell
Phone Number: (435)752-0750
Northern Utah Counseling
Northern Utah Counseling, in Clinton, UT, now offers a day treatment program for children ages 5-12 with severe emotional and/or behavioral disturbances. Treatment is a community and family based program that offers time limited and therapeutically intensive clinical services.
Phone Number: (801)779-0095
Website:
YMCA After School Program
The purpose of the YMCA Afterschool Program is to help youth develop to their fullest in spirit, mind, and body by incorporating the core values of caring, respect, honesty and responsibility. We focus on behavioral expectations, strong curriculum, and opportunities for youth participation and development. Our four Core Components are Homework Support, Health & Well-Being, Arts & Culture and Science.
*$10/year comes with T-shirt
Contact: Chelsea Wessman, Program Manager
Phone Number: (801)682-0455
Website:
Residential/Day Treatment:
Bear River Mental Health
Bear River Mental Health has no residential treatment programs paid through Medicaid. If a child is a threat to self or others they may be admitted to a local hospital or the psychiatric ward of McKay Dee hospital until he or she is considered stabilized.
- There are many residential treatment programs for private payment. Many of the private residential treatment programs are for adolescents who have been involved with drugs or alcohol.
- Medicaid carve-out may apply to qualifying private residential treatment programs when deemed necessary for an adopted youth.
Transition to Adult Living
DCFS Transition to Adult Living
The goals of Transition to Adult living is to provide youth assistance in transitioning from foster care to adult living through a private/public network of support, in order to promote their success. This assistance includes assessment, mentoring, self-esteem building, personal future planning, caregiver and family networking, basic life-skills training, housing, leisure skills, education, employment, on-the-job training, information and referral, crisis support, medical, mental health and limited financial assistance.
Phone Number: Jennifer Larson
(801)707-9734
Website: or
Educational Supports
Utah State Office of Education Educational Equity Section
Educational Equity is a federally mandated monitoring office for the K-12 public school that monitors civil rights compliance in accordance with the U.S. Department of Education and the Office for Civil Rights regulations which prohibits: discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex discrimination, disability, age or religion, discrimination on the specific basis of sex discrimination, discrimination on the basis of disability in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance, equal employment opportunity and fair employment practices
-They also provide help and information on Anti-bullying, MESA program, poverty, cultural festivals, etc.
Contact: Richard Gomez, Coordinator