AUGUSTA, GA. (WJBF) – There are approximately 11,000 children in Georgia’s foster care system. There is a home available for only one-third of them. One group is working to change this.
Murphy Harpst Children’s Home’s Evolve initiative program is working to create homes for foster children to address the shortage and provide them with skills to help them transition into the community.
“Success is when you get reunification, where you get adoption, or that you’re tracking and looking at for this child how many days because we are in the community,” said Cindy Simpson, VP of strategic initiatives at Murphy Harpst. “So, our kids walk to the Kroc center, you know, to participate in the activities. They can do after-school activities. They’re looking at life skills.”
The home is staffed with a therapist, case manager, and operations manager, so every kid gets what they need. The Murphy Harpst team has reported that 82% of the kids who have completed the program reduced destructive and self-harming behaviors and 90% improved their life skills and behavior management.