Ach Child And Family Services

PROTECTING CHILDREN AND PRESERVING FAMILIES.

OUR COMMUNITY OUR KIDS (OCOK) IS THE DIVISION OF ACH CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES OPERATING COMMUNITY BASED CARE (FORMERLY KNOWN AS FOSTER CARE REDESIGN) UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS SINCE 2014. OCOK MANAGES THE NETWORK OF PROVIDERS IN REGION 3B, WHICH CONSISTS OF SEVEN COUNTIES (PALO PINTO, PARKER, TARRANT, ERATH, HOOD, SOMERVELL, AND JOHNSON). BY FOCUSING ON CAPACITY BUILDING, ACCOUNTABILITY OF OUTCOMES AND PROGRAM INNOVATIONS, SIGNIFICANT SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN REGION 3B. COMMUNITY BASED CARE IS WORKING, AND IT'S VITAL FOR OUR CHILDREN THAT IT CONTINUES. IN 2022, OCOK SERVED 2,549 CHILDREN WHILE MANAGING A NETWORK OF 119 SERVICE PROVIDERS. 310 CHILDREN WERE ADOPTED ACROSS THE NETWORK.

REAL HELP FOR REAL LIFE OFFERS FAMILY PRESERVATION SERVICES, ALLOWING US TO ENGAGE WITH FAMILIES AT RISK FOR CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT. YOUTH AND FAMILY COUNSELING SERVICES ARE OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE FOR YOUTH AGES 0 TO 17 YEARS AND THEIR FAMILIES. SKILL BUILDER CLASSES ARE OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE FOR YOUTH AND PARENTS OF YOUTH 10 TO 17 YEARS, INCLUDING TEENAGE MOTHERS. CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES ARE OFFERED AS WELL.THE LIFE (LEARNING INDEPENDENCE FROM EXPERIENCE) PROJECT PROMOTES SELF-CONFIDENCE AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY FOR ELIGIBLE YOUNG ADULTS BY PROVIDING A VARIETY OF HOUSING OPTIONS FOR YOUNG ADULTS. THESE DIFFERENT SETTINGS ALLOW YOUNG ADULTS TO EXPERIENCE INDEPENDENT LIVING WHILE CONTINUING TO RECEIVE SUPPORT, GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE WITH LIFE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT. PARTICIPANTS MUST BE 18 TO 21 YEARS OF AGE, EITHER SINGLE OR PARENTING SINGLE ADULTS AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE, OR HOMELESS YOUNG ADULTS. THE YOUTH EMERGENCY SHELTER PROVIDES IMMEDIATE HELP TO YOUTH DURING A CRISIS. THE ONLY YOUTH SHELTER IN TARRANT COUNTY, IT'S A SAFE PLACE FOR RUNAWAY, HOMELESS AND TRAFFICKED YOUTH, AGES 10 TO 17 YEARS. BEYOND PROVIDING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, OUR STAFF WORK TO HELP YOUTH IN THE SHELTER GET TREATMENT, IF NEEDED, AND FIND SAFE, PERMANENT HOMES.

FOSTER CARE PROVIDES A STABLE AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH, AGES 0 TO 17, WHO HAVE BEEN ABUSED, NEGLECTED OR HAVE EXPERIENCED FAMILY CRISIS, TO BEGIN TO HEAL AND THRIVE. IN 2022, WE SERVED 236 CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE. 52 CHILDREN WERE ADOPTED. AT THE END OF 2022, ACH SUPERVISED 110 ACTIVE, LICENSED FOSTER HOMES.

THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND IN TEXAS, THE RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTER PROVIDES A SECURE FACILITY STAFFED BY TREATMENT TEAMS WHO WILL PUT OUR HIGHEST-NEEDS TEENAGERS ON AN ACCELERATED PATH TO SUCCESS. IN 2022, WE SERVED 27 YOUTH IN THIS INTENSIVE THERAPEUTIC PROGRAM.