Has anyone heard of Safe Families for Children?

Question by Heather ~ Not a Perfect Mom ~: Has anyone heard of Safe Families for Children?
CBS is doing a series on Safe Families for Children. The program is an alternative to Foster care.

“Volunteers open their homes to children whose parents are experiencing a short-term emergency, such as hospitalization, or a longer-term crisis, such as drug abuse. Designed to extend and strengthen the community safety net for at-risk families, Safe Families is a positive alternative to the state child welfare system, allowing parents to work out their problems without having to worry about losing custody of their kids. The program’s goal is to reunite children with their biological parent(s) in a home that is more stable and healthy, in part because of the contribution of the Safe Families intervention.”

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/18/business/childofrecession/main5023921.shtml?tag=topHome;topStories

http://www.safe-families.org/

I will admit I am somewhat torn with this, while it seems like a better alternative to the Foster care system, I would rather see the resources used to keep the families together.

What are your thoughts on this?

Best answer:

Answer by annie
This is the same thing as foster care. This is just what the foster care system was started for. It really is just the same thing. Not all children put in foster care are taken forever. In fact most are returned to their first parents. That is what foster care is for, it just so happen that sometimes people wont change even for the sake of their children. That is why some children are in the foster care system all their lives because their parents never straitened up and because the laws are set to protect their rights the children can’t be adopted out.
So what i am saying is that while it is a great idea it is already in place. It would be just like starting the foster care all over again before years of trying to fix the problems.

Answer by maybe
I agree that resources could be better used to keep the family together. However, it does appear to be a better alternative to the foster care system, especially since the focus is on reunification. TPR and adoption are NOT promoted in these programs, which is a positive feature.

Drug Addict Intervention 2 – Elisvan tries stealing my phone and ipod. He breaks down and talks about how nobody cares about him while trying to break into a house.


 

New Psychosis Center Aims to Prevent Violence
Although it is commonly ascribed to those with schizophrenia and related disorders, people with untreated forms of depression or bipolar disease may also exhibit psychosis. Drug and alcohol abuse, dementia and other diseases also can cause psychosis. Read more on Stateline

TVUSD To Host Forum On Drug Abuse Among Schoolchildren
… from the TVUSD, "Dr. Beacham is the former director of training/clinical services for CareUnit Hospitals where he trained addiction specialists, educators, parents, law enforcement, and mental health workers in substance abuse prevention and … Read more on Patch.com

5 Ways to Have More Fun in Recovery
The workshop could be about building a business, or about technology or writing — basically any interest the addict had before addiction became the sole motivating force in his life. Swimming. Swimming, particularly just the act of being in the water … Read more on PsychCentral.com (blog)