Delia S. Lopez
Senior Post Adoption/Post Permanency Case Manager
As a Senior Post Adoption/Post Permanency Case Manager, Delia finds solutions to most issues arising after a child has been permanently placed with a family. Her goal is to do everything possible to make sure the child stays with the permanent family. While earning her Bachelor’s in Social Work at Pan-American University (now known as the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley), Delia discovered her passion for adoption and children in foster care.
Why I started with Arms Wide:
Prior to entering college, I applied for a stipend with the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. After graduation, I began working with DFPS on January 2, 1980, and continued to work there for almost 30 years! During these years of employment, I discovered I truly enjoyed working with families and children. After two years of retirement, I joined an adoption/foster care agency which subcontracted with TDFPS for seven years. Then, I retired once again.
Only six months after my second retirement, my friend told me about a job opening at Arms Wide as a Post Permanency Case Manager. I never had a chance to work with families after finalization, so I decided to come out of retirement . . . again! I joined the team in February 2017, and I am enjoying every minute of my time working at Arms Wide.
My favorite part about my job:
I love meeting new people and helping parents solve problems to meet children’s needs. Although there is a challenge in locating community resources that families can utilize it is worthwhile to get them the help that they need. It’s especially exciting when I have the chance to work with families I’ve worked with before when I was a CPS employee or a case manager with the previous agency. I especially enjoy it when I see children I placed in adoptions thriving as adults.
My least favorite part:
Paperwork is not fun, but it has to be done.
More about me:
I’ve been married for over 30 years and have two fun, creative adult daughters, Daniela and Donica. My daughters love animals and have two cats and a dog (Tiger Lilly, Opal, and Keira) whom I call my grandchildren. I love traveling with my family—we explore local unique restaurants in each place we visit and critique them among ourselves and visit historical places. Throughout my life, I’ve been a collector. At first, Christmas ornaments of places I visited. Then, one of a kind birdhouses. However, when my collections became too vast to handle, I found a new hobby that doesn’t take up space. Now, I spend my spare time talking nature walks and admiring flowers and butterflies along the way. I also love listening to music, especially oldies, jazz, and Spanish tunes.
Ask me about:
Places I’ve been, like the time I led a Girl Scout troop on an expedition to Hawaii!