Press Releases

May 1, 2006

THE ARC NORTHERN CHESAPEAKE REGION JOINS THE CHILD WELFARE LEAGUE OF AMERICA IN RECOGNIZING MAY AS TREATMENT FOSTER CARE MONTH

[ ABERDEEN, MD] - The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region will join the Child Welfare League of American (CWLA) and thousands of individuals, government agencies, and child advocacy organizations across the nation in promoting May as Treatment Foster Care Month. The goal of the campaign is to spread awareness to recruit and retain foster and adoptive parents as well as ensure the safety, permanency, and well-being of our nation's waiting children.

There are approximately 518,000 children in foster care, over 125,000 of whom are waiting for permanent families. Approximately 20,000 "age out" of the system each year without ever being adopted.

The Arc's Treatment Foster Care Program helps children with special needs in Harford and Cecil Counties that are waiting for foster homes with families prepared to provide them with opportunities to reach their full potential. The Program works as a team with the foster parents, the biological parents, Department of Social Services staff, and other professionals to produce the best possible outcome for the child, whether that is reunification, adoption, or independent living. In FY05 more than 35 children were touched by this service with 6 reunifications and 6 families receiving initial foster parent training.

Throughout the month of May, The Arc will be in the local community encouraging families to become foster or adoptive parents. For more information about how you can help a child find a permanent home, contact Dianne Ross, Clinical Supervisor at 410-879-6785, extension 402 or Email Dianne Ross .

CWLA is an association of more than 900 public and private nonprofit agencies that assist more than 3.5 million abused and neglected children and their families each year with a range of services.

The Arc offers a wide variety of services to individuals with developmental disabilities in Harford and Cecil County, both children and adults, to make informed choices in their lifestyles, vocations, education and recreational pursuits, and to assure stable and nurturing lives among their families and friends.