Execut ive Director, DeShawn M. West-Johnson
Executive Director of Sarah Minnie Badger Foster Care Agency, DeShawn M. West-Johnson recently sat down with Will Jones of BlackWNY and spoke about the need for more Black Western New Yorkers to assist in the care of children in need of a home.?
Tell us a little about your service?
?First off I?d like to say that we are a small agency and as a result we have a more?personal touch than some of the other agencies that have much larger caseloads. I don?t know of many, if any, other foster care agencies where the executive director comes into the homes.
I go into every home myself before they are certified. One of the reasons is because I want to know that the home where we are placing a child is appropriate. I don?t just go on anyone?s word, because everyone?s standards are different. Our standards are a little bit higher than Erie County?s.?
So in a nut shell, what is SMB?
?SMB is a community agency that provides temporary placement and care of children in Erie County when their parents or family of origin cannot take care of them, until such a time that they can. If that doesn?t happen then our families adopt those children.?
So do you find you have more children than families to care for them??Yes!
Why do you think this is? Do you think it?s because prospective parents assume that the standards will be so high that they will never qualify? Ex; that they have to make an enormous income or live in a fancy home?
?No, that is simply not the case. We accept single family foster parents and even foster families in the projects. You don?t have to make a whole lot of money. You just have to have an open heart and the desire to open up your home to help someone else out.
We currently have 25 foster homes and have a mix of the types of families that are fostering. We have a couple of two-parent home and a single-father home and the rest are homes where the women are the head of household. In the past year, SMB has helped to get 5 children adopted:
-A single mother who raised 2 of her own children, fostered and then adopted 2 children; a boy and a girl ages 2 and 3.
-A single mother who has 2 grown children, fostered and adopted a 4 year old little girl.
-A single mother of 2 adult children adopted a 3 year old boy and a 4 year old girl.
-We have 2 adoption pending that should occur before the end of the year.
We have a single foster father who is fostering a 16 year-old boy who has been in the social service system all of his life. He entered foster care at the age of 5 and was adopted at the age of 8. When his adopted mother passed away and he came back into foster care at age 15. This was a child that was told he would not graduate from 8th grade, but he did. He has a supportive network behind him with the foster parent and his extended family,
It is our goal to form a partnership between the staff, foster parent and biological parent so that we can?build a support team for the family.
Our mission is to improve the quality of life of children and families by providing services that will promote physical safety, emotional stability, and development.
?Yes, there is a financial reimbursement; that is varied according to the child?s age and various circumstances.?
Our goal is to place children in loving homes, within their own communities that will teach and increase self-awareness and self-empowerment to achieve and maintain social stability and good health (physically, emotionally and mentally).
So is there a time line of commitment?
Each family is certified for twelve months at a time. We are one of the top three agencies in this area; as third in the list of referrals, so it?s important to us to maintain high standards. We re-evaluate each family every twelve months.
If you?re a person out there interested in adoption (or fostering to adopt) what?would be the first step?
First step is to call us or go to our website?www.smbfostercare.com/stories.htmL We start with an interest form, then we explain how the program works, and later we visit their home to make sure their home is appropriate and that they are able to financially provide a decent family environment before enrolling them in the class.?
How long does this process take?
?About six months. Our classes are ten weeks. Then we do an in- home study on them which takes about two to three months depending on the person?s schedule, and then it takes awhile to write that home study and then give it back to the person so they can review it.?
Who is the ideal foster parent?
?A person that is willing to enter into this with an open heart and home and not be judgmental towards the child?s natural parent. The reason for this child needing a new home can range from physical or mental abuse to educational or medical neglect. The range of reasons are wide. ?
Is there any financial exchange for being a foster parent?
?Yes, there is a financial reimbursement; that is varied according to the child?s age and various circumstances.?
Ideally, if you are a caring person who is willing to open up your home and heart and are possibly an empty nester, you should consider being a foster parent. Maybe your child has leftfor college and you have that extra room and you?re used to caring for someone, this could be an ideal situation for them and you.?Also; if you are someone who has been considering becoming a parent, this is a wonderful way to explore that responsibility further while helping to make a great change in a child?s life.
If you are an African-American male you are encouraged to step forward as there is a definite need for more men to adopt.
There are a lot of beautiful children in need of a loving home. Here is a chance for you to make a difference in this world and in one of these children?s lives.
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About Will Jones
Source: http://blackwny.com/featured/assist-child
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