About Us

Guiding from experience. Leading for change.

It all began with a mom, Googling. Amy VanTine was desperately searching for help for her adopted daughter with reactive attachment disorder (RAD). Despite countless therapies and parenting techniques, her daughter’s early trauma wasn’t being addressed, and their family was falling apart.

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When Amy was losing hope, she connected online with other moms facing similar struggles —two of whom, by chance, lived in her small Colorado town. Amy realized she wasn’t alone.

As she continued connecting with caregivers worldwide — stepparents, grandparents, and others parenting children with RAD — it became clear that families weren’t just unsupported. They were blamed and shamed by therapists, educators, and even loved ones.

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Determined to make a difference, Amy and two other moms founded RAD Advocates in 2017.

RAD Advocates is a grassroots 501(c)(3) nonprofit, led primarily by those who've parented children with RAD. We’ve spent countless hours supporting parents in crisis, educating communities about RAD, and advocating for change. From teaching graduate students to sharing our stories with Mayo Clinic clinicians and lobbying for family protections, we’re building understanding and support for families everywhere.

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And we’re just getting started. Join us.