Los Angeles, Oct. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hillsides and its affiliate Bienvenidos are launching a major new social media campaign, #CreateLastingChange, to recruit dozens of new resource families who can help foster children who have been displaced by the pandemic. Hillsides is seeking to identify up to 50 new potential resource families (formerly known as foster families) to foster children from newborns to teenagers on a temporary or long-term basis as part of our home-based family care program.
State and local child welfare agencies are already seeing an increase in the number of children entering the system due to the pandemic’s severe impacts on their households and are bracing for the likelihood of even more children being impacted as the crisis continues. Agencies like Hillsides and Bienvenidos are well-equipped to train and prepare new resource families could potentially receive a new placement within a few months after contacting us or calling 909 447-7520.
“Hillsides has a long history of stepping up for children in need in our communities and we are answering the call once again to identify and train new potential resource families,” said Hillsides CEO Stacey Roth. “This pandemic has hit struggling families harder than anyone else and the demand for new resource families has surged beyond the normal rates that we typically see. We are committed to doing our part to recruit and train new potential resource families who are willing to open their hearts and homes to children in need as part of this #CreateLastingChange campaign.
Serving as a resource parent is a challenging and very rewarding process that is open to adults over 21 years of age who have a stable income and can offer a designated bedroom in their home for a child or multiple children if desired. Interested families who contact Hillsides/Bienvenidos have an initial interview, attend an orientation meeting, undergo a background clearance process, attend trainings and then pass a home assessment.
Resource families receive about $1,000 per month to help cover expenses like housing, food and clothing. Some families with higher-needs children receive Intensive Services Foster Care Funding because they will undergo special training to care for children and young adults with intensive needs including medical, therapeutic or behavioral needs. Children also have their own Medi-Cal health and dental coverage.
Resource families also receive extensive support post-placement from Hillsides/Bienvenidos staff that helps ensure smooth transitions and ongoing placements. Hillsides has an industry-leading average of 83% of all children undergoing only one placement during their time under our care, signifying that they find stability with their new resource families and the families are supported by the Hillsides team to ensure success. In fact, more than 94% of resource family members and 97% of children placed in their care reported being overall satisfied with their experience.
Additionally, many families who work with Hillsides/Bienvenidos also go on to adopt the children they care for should they not be able to be reunited with their birth families and the Hillsides team is trained and prepared to guide them through this process.
“We are with new families every step of the way should they be interested in becoming a resource family on a temporary basis or if they are interested in heading down the road toward adoption,” said Cindy Macias, Division Chief of Bienvenidos Foster Care and Adoption Services. “Fostering is a terrific way for families to provide a stable and loving environment for children who have undergone trauma and puts them on a road to healing and thriving. The vast majority of our resource families tell us that their experiences have been so much greater than they were expecting and they are proud of the ways they see children under their care go on to achieve milestones in their lives.”
For more information about becoming a resource family, please visit our website or contact us at via a webform or at 909 447-7520.
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About Hillsides:
Hillsides, with its affiliate Bienvenidos, is dedicated to healing children and young adults, strengthening families, and transforming communities through quality comprehensive services and advocacy. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the agency serves nearly 17,000 children and families in Southern California throughout more than 40 sites, including school-based mental health offices in Los Angeles, Pasadena, and Baldwin Park. Foster care and adoptions services are offered in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. To learn more about Hillsides, please visit www.Hillsides.org. Visit Hillsides on Facebook @hillsideschildren, on Twitter @Hillsides, or on Instagram @HillsidesPasadena.