Christina Hallam overcame domestic violence and drug use to regain custody of her three daughters. Enlanya McConnell, a former foster youth herself, successfully reunited with her son and now raises her two children. Alicia Johansen got her toddler back after he’d been taken from her at birth and placed in foster care.
This week the women gathered with dozens of parents at the Denver Zoo to celebrate reuniting with their children through Colorado’s family courts — one of numerous events across the country to commemorate National Reunification Month.
After visiting the water buffalos, lions and zebras, they shared hot dogs and chips, received awards and applause from state and court officials, and enjoyed a rare day of celebration with child welfare officials, who in earlier stages of their lives had removed children from their homes.
“It’s very important for everyone to be able to see it’s possible, because I’m not any better than anyone else, or any worse,” said Hallam, a mother of four who has been sober for five years. “Addiction and domestic violence can literally happen to anyone. There’s a stigma. People think if your kids are in social services, you beat them. But addiction and a bad life doesn’t mean love goes away.”
Multiple state agencies collaborated to host the event which honored the parents who got their kids back and the child welfare workers who helped them reunify.
Parent attorneys, social workers, judges and state agency staff looked on as three families and one caseworker, Fremont County’s Jackie Wilner, were named “Reunification Heroes.”
National Reunification Month was created in 2010 by the American Bar Association to celebrate the people and efforts to help families stay together — the central goal of the child welfare system and the most common outcome for family court cases.
According to state data, Colorado reunited 4,149 children with their parents in 2024.
“Reunification is the goal of every case, so it’s nice to celebrate the people who survived the system and are successful,” Chris Henderson, executive director of the Office of the Child’s Representative. “We strongly believe kids do better at home.”
Alicia Johansen joined the festivities with her toddler son, Carter, who was placed in foster care as an infant. A foster family picked him up from the hospital after Johansen gave birth with drugs in her system.
Johansen held Carter in her lap as he scribbled in an animal-themed coloring book. She never gave up on the hope that she would get him back, she said. Finally, the day she’d been waiting for arrived.
“My attorney called and said, ‘It’s done.’ I remember that moment, I was in my bedroom and I started jumping up and down. It’s cliché, but my son literally saved my life,’’ she said, crediting her fight to get Carter back as her motivation to stop doing drugs. “I don’t know I would have stopped if I hadn’t had that intervention.’’
Social worker Tracie Jones who works for the Office of Respondent Parents’ Counsel said she saw hope as she looked around at families enjoying the day together and a free visit to the zoo.
“We see a lot more families ripped apart,” Jones said, “so it feels extra special to celebrate with those who were able to reunify.”
