LilMtnCbn
03-11-2004, 06:44 AM
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1079001
199190851.xml
Reparenting for 1,400 kids in county care
03/11/04
Joan Mazzolini
Plain Dealer Reporter
Cuyahoga County, the United Way and other local institutions have launched a $4
million effort to find adoptive parents for 1,400 kids in county custody.
The new Adopt Cuyahoga's Kids program will coordinate with 14 adoption agencies
to research the childrens' pasts and tar get potential parents, such as distant
relatives, teachers or coaches.
"People adopt when they care about the kids," said Tami Lorko vich, manager of
the new program. The chil dren "have been in the system for a while and people
assume they've already been adopted. We have to go back and locate [contacts].
We're also talking to children to ask them who they'd like us to talk to."
Adopt Cuyahoga's Kids will first target the 650 children who are 10 or older
kids for whom finding permanent homes is typically difficult. The children, who
are placed in county custody because of parental abuse or neglect, end up in
foster care, group homes or with relatives on a temporary basis.
"There is a huge population of kids within the county that people might call
'unadoptable'. . . kids that have been in the system for a long period of
time," said John Chapman, co-chair of an adoption task force created by the
United Way Vision Council. "The philosophy is that every one of these kids
deserves a forever family."
The Vision Council formed the task force two years ago to study ways to boost
the adoption of children in county custody. Jim McCafferty, head of the
Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services, approached United
Way for help because hundreds of kids were languishing for years without homes.
The county will spend nearly $110 million this year to keep kids in foster care
or group homes.
Cuyahoga County has contributed $1 million. The United Way and local
foundations have agreed to contribute some money, but Lorkovich said more needs
to be raised. Adoption Network Cleveland will lead the program, which will run
for three years.
In addition to finding families for children, Adopt Cuyahoga's Kids, along with
the county, will help guide prospective parents through the adoption process.
"Adoptive families feel very much on their own," McCafferty said.
The county and Adopt Cuyahoga's Kids also will launch new programs to offer
support for children who turn 18 and are released from custody. The efforts
will include finding people, such as a former neighbors, who can help.
"If we can connect them to someone so they can form a bond, even if they don't
adopt them after 18, they'll have a connection, someone to look after them,"
McCafferty said.
-------------------------
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown
199190851.xml
Reparenting for 1,400 kids in county care
03/11/04
Joan Mazzolini
Plain Dealer Reporter
Cuyahoga County, the United Way and other local institutions have launched a $4
million effort to find adoptive parents for 1,400 kids in county custody.
The new Adopt Cuyahoga's Kids program will coordinate with 14 adoption agencies
to research the childrens' pasts and tar get potential parents, such as distant
relatives, teachers or coaches.
"People adopt when they care about the kids," said Tami Lorko vich, manager of
the new program. The chil dren "have been in the system for a while and people
assume they've already been adopted. We have to go back and locate [contacts].
We're also talking to children to ask them who they'd like us to talk to."
Adopt Cuyahoga's Kids will first target the 650 children who are 10 or older
kids for whom finding permanent homes is typically difficult. The children, who
are placed in county custody because of parental abuse or neglect, end up in
foster care, group homes or with relatives on a temporary basis.
"There is a huge population of kids within the county that people might call
'unadoptable'. . . kids that have been in the system for a long period of
time," said John Chapman, co-chair of an adoption task force created by the
United Way Vision Council. "The philosophy is that every one of these kids
deserves a forever family."
The Vision Council formed the task force two years ago to study ways to boost
the adoption of children in county custody. Jim McCafferty, head of the
Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services, approached United
Way for help because hundreds of kids were languishing for years without homes.
The county will spend nearly $110 million this year to keep kids in foster care
or group homes.
Cuyahoga County has contributed $1 million. The United Way and local
foundations have agreed to contribute some money, but Lorkovich said more needs
to be raised. Adoption Network Cleveland will lead the program, which will run
for three years.
In addition to finding families for children, Adopt Cuyahoga's Kids, along with
the county, will help guide prospective parents through the adoption process.
"Adoptive families feel very much on their own," McCafferty said.
The county and Adopt Cuyahoga's Kids also will launch new programs to offer
support for children who turn 18 and are released from custody. The efforts
will include finding people, such as a former neighbors, who can help.
"If we can connect them to someone so they can form a bond, even if they don't
adopt them after 18, they'll have a connection, someone to look after them,"
McCafferty said.
-------------------------
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown
