Family Integrity Program starts foster care recruitment

Family Integrity Program organizers have informed Historic City News that a new foster care recruitment effort has begun in conjunction with the Seventh Judicial Circuit of the Department of Children and Families.

This recruitment effort is part of the “Quality Parenting Initiative” — a redesign of Foster Care to improve the quality of care that children and families receive. Ultimately, this is meant to reduce the “trauma” that out-of-home care imparts upon children and families and to reduce the recidivism rate of families returning into care.

Citizens, Community leaders, stakeholders and civic-minded organizations are needed to help the Family Integrity Program increase the number of high-quality Family Foster Homes, and to identify other resources available to our children in St. Johns County.

Currently St. Johns County has over 160 children receiving ‘out-of-home’ services, approximately 60 of which are in Foster Care. St. Johns County has 40 Family Foster Homes available for the placement of children.

Eighty percent of St. Johns County’s Foster children age 13 and over are in Group Home facilities, as opposed to a nurturing Family Foster Home.

These are just a few of the placement needs that have been identified and hope to alleviate by increasing and updating our community recruitment efforts.

If you are interested in helping — an informational luncheon will be held at the Flagler County Government Building on October 21, 2011 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon.

The address is 1769 E. Moody Boulevard Building 2, Floor 3, Room 3 in Bunnell.