HGTX Adoption Competency Initiative
Expanding the Adoption Competent Mental Health Workforce
Families formed through adoption face multiple challenges to receiving mental health services. In a recent survey of Texas caregivers, 60% reported being somewhat or very dissatisfied with mental health services and 73% reported being somewhat or very dissatisfied about the accessibility of services. Families formed through adoption require a therapist who is knowledgeable about the core issues in adoption, primarily trauma, grief and loss and navigating identity and belonging. In order to increase the number of adoption competent therapists in Texas, the Heart Galleries of Texas (HGTX), in partnership with the National Center for Adoption Competent Mental Health Services, is launching a program to incentivize licensed therapists to complete adoption competency training in order to increase provision of services to children and families who have experienced adoption.
National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training Initiative (NTI)TM
NTI is a free, self-paced, web-based curriculum that enables therapists to better address the mental health and developmental needs of children who were adopted. The curriculum is 30 hours that includes 9 interactive learning modules focused on clinical practice. Learn more about NTI: https://adoptionsupport.org/nti/
Heart Galleries of Texas Initiative
The HGTX supports families formed by adoption and recognizes the critical importance of adoption competent therapists. To increase the capacity of the mental health workforce, HGTX will provide a cohort of 15 therapists $1,000 in financial support to complete the NTI training. After completion of the training and requirements, therapists will be listed as adoption competent therapists on the HGTX website and local heart gallery websites.
Requirements:
- Therapists must be licensed in Texas and providing services in Texas. The following licenses are acceptable: LMSW, LCSW, LMFT, LPC
- Therapists will complete the 30-hour training in a 3-month time-frame;
- Therapists will attend 3 processing meetings for 1.5 hours each during the 3- month time frame; and
- Therapists will attend 3 case consultation meetings after completion of the training.
- Therapist agrees to be listed on the HGTX website and local Heart Gallery websites.
- Therapist agrees to provide individual and/or family therapy services to children and families who have experienced adoption and/or kinship guardianship through the child welfare system.
Program Timeframe:
- May 2026: applications open
- June 2026: application review
- July – September 2026: cohort completes training
- October – November 2026: post-case consultations
- November: final payment
Application:
- Interested therapists will complete an online application.
- Priority will be given to therapist practicing in rural communities.
- Interested therapists will need to complete this online application by May 29th, 2026.
Please contact: samantha.thompson@austin.utexas.edu with any questions.