Child & Family Announces Plans to Assume Casey Family Services RI Foster Care Program

Middletown, RI- Child & Family announced that as of November 15, 2012 it has assumed program responsibility for the Rhode Island operations of Casey Family Services, a foster care program licensed through the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Family. On June 26, 2012 the Annie E. Casey Foundation announced the launch of a national -strategy to improve human service delivery through partnerships with multiple providers throughout the country. The Foundation also announced it would no longer operate its own direct service agency, and that Casey Family Services would close at the end of the year.

Casey Family Services offers specialized foster care and permanency services to children who cannot live with their parents, primarily due to neglect or abuse. The focus of their work is on safety and healthy development while assisting the state in finding permanent homes for children in their care. This includes establishing lifelong family connections that become a support system as the child exits foster care.

Child & Family Services and Casey Family Services share a strong commitment to move children safely from the child welfare system to permanent homes and to sustain that lifelong connection through post- adoption services, as well as support for birth families reunifying with their children. This transition to Child & Family will sustain and extend the legacy of Casey Family Services in promoting positive outcomes for children and families.

Throughout the transition the leadership of Casey Family Services and Child & Family will work together closely to ensure that this programmatic shift is seamless with no disruptions. All children will remain with their current foster families and pre-adoptive families. They will be served out of the same building at 1268 Eddy Street in Providence, with a core of Casey staff remaining to make the transition along with the children and families.

“Casey Family Services has provided high quality care for the last 36 years. We are delighted that Child & Family Services has offered to work with our staff and foster families to ensure that same high-quality level of care will continue for all the children in our care,” said Patrick McCarthy, president and CEO of the Casey Foundation. “We are working to ensure that the transition goes smoothly, and that the children are well cared for while finding their way to strong, loving and permanent families.”

The Casey Foundation’s decision to close Casey Family Services and shift to a broader partnership strategy is designed to help hundreds of foster care and other non-profit human services agencies adopt innovative, proven approaches to improve child welfare practices. Ultimately, the new strategy will impact hundreds of thousands of children and families across the country.

Child & Family has a 146 year history of serving Rhode Island’s children and families, and a reputation for service innovation and positive community impact. Child & Family is the largest and most comprehensive social service provider in Newport County, and one of the largest in the State of Rhode Island. Child & Family is the lead agency for the Rhode Island Care Management Network, which was recently selected by the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families to serve as one of two state-wide Family Care Networks for the State’s newly developed System of Care for children and families.

In expressing his agency’s support and confidence in the transition, Jim Gannaway, Casey’s Rhode Island Division Director stated, “We are very pleased that our program and our work of twenty years will be transitioning to Child & Family. Much like Casey Family Services, Child & Family is committed to utilizing proven practices in the delivery of their services. I know they will provide quality foster care and permanency services to children. I look forward to them expanding our current foster care program, taking on even more children and families.”

Peter DiBari, President and CEO of Child & Family added, “Casey Family Services has achieved amazing results in the field of foster care. They have been the national leader in the provision of foster care services focused on, and achieving, permanency for the children in their care. Child & Family is both excited and proud to be in a position to continue and build upon their work.”

For further information contact:

Keith Tavares
Vice President of Institutional Advancement
Child & Family
31 John Clarke Road
Middletown, RI 02842
Office #: 401-848-4150
Cell #: 401-829-9294
ktavares@childandfamilyri.com

Jim Gannaway
Division Director
Casey Family Services
1268 Eddy Street
Providence, RI 02905
Office #: 401-781-3669
jgannaway@caseyfamilyservices.org

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