By Judith Fischer Wollack, president of AACFA 

Across the country, the need for foster parents is high. This is true in Michigan too.  

In our state, there are approximately 13,000 children in foster care and 300 children who still need an adoptive family, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The non-profit, accredited child welfare agencies that make up the Association of Accredited Child & Family Agencies have resources for those interested in giving children in need a loving and safe place to call home. 

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in her recent executive budget recommendations supported an 18 percent increase to go toward maintenance payments for foster care, adoptive and juvenile guardianship families. These payments have not increased since 2012. That means Michiganders who foster children would have more financial resources to support their family. 

AACFA agencies desperately need people to become foster parents and make a difference for these children, who have often experienced neglect and/or abuse in their homes. 

Our non-profit, accredited child welfare agencies offer an array of resources for those interested in becoming foster parents, and we can walk you through it every step of the way.  

Please visit one of our agency websites to learn more about how you can make a difference: 

• Oakland Family Services’ Frequently Asked Questions about foster care is a great place go for common questions about what the fostering process looks like. 
• Children of all ages find homes through Wolverine Human Services, and Wolverine will help facilitate the process. 

• Foster parents receive training and ongoing support from Ennis Center for Children, and you can contact Ennis Center for more information. 
• Orchards Children’s Services staff continue to recruit, train and license new foster parents. 
• Our member Spectrum Human Services also offers services and resources for foster parents. 

No matter where you are on the foster care journey, our agencies can help. Make a difference in the life of a child by becoming a foster parent. 

By Judith Fischer Wollack, AACFA president 

It’s National Adoption Month, a time when we work to raise awareness about the thousands of children who need a permanent place to call home. 

The Association of Accredited Child & Family Agencies is made up of some of the largest non-profit, accredited child welfare agencies in Michigan, and our member organizations complete hundreds of adoptions each year, placing children with loving families around the state. 

COVID-19 has been hard on us all, and it created an increased demand for foster and adoptive parents and logistical issues for adoptions. Our agencies have worked tirelessly, despite an ongoing staffing shortage, to find safe and loving homes for the children in our care, remaining dedicated to the children, families and communities they serve. In the last year, our member organizations have completed hundreds of adoptions. 

During National Adoption Month, we celebrate and thank the workers and families who facilitate adoptions and help provide the loving environment that children deserve. 

Becoming an adoptive parent is the opportunity to provide a space for children that gives them the care they need and a family of their own. I’ve seen many families complete the adoption process, which can sometimes be time-consuming and complicated, and I can speak for all AACFA members when I say it is such a joy to see a child adopted. 

Of course, the adoption process comes with its challenges. AACFA agencies pride ourselves on providing the best possible service to children and families and being there for adoptive parents every step of the way.  

If you are interested in adoption, I highly encourage you to research our member organizations and the services they provide for prospective families. We do everything we can to give children and families the love and care they deserve. 

Non-profit, accredited child welfare agencies celebrate National Adoption Month 

LANSING – November marks National Adoption Month, a month meant to raise awareness about the need for adoptive families for children. 

The Association of Accredited Child & Family Agencies is made up of some of the largest non-profit, accredited child welfare agencies in Michigan, completing hundreds of adoptions each year and ensuring children in need have a safe, loving place to call home. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on us all, and it has certainly created logistical issues when it comes to finalizing adoption placements,” said Judith Fischer Wollack, president of AACFA. “The non-profit, accredited child welfare agencies that make up AACFA’s membership remained dedicated to the children and families they serve and facilitated hundreds of adoptions this year. During National Adoption Month, we celebrate the workers and families who facilitate adoptions and help families provide the loving environment children deserve.” 

Hazel Park resident April Beaton had been fostering children through Orchards Children’s Services, an AACFA member, and is now the parent of Alex, 3, and Jacob, 1. Beaton officially adopted both children this year, though the two boys were placed in Beaton’s care when they were just days old. When she began fostering, Beaton did not expect to adopt but was open to the possibility. Both of her boys’ cases came to a point where they were ready to be adopted. 

Describing her children, Beaton says they are bouncing, bright geniuses — the cutest children on earth. Working with Orchards Children’s Services, Beaton had the resources she needed to foster and adopt both of her children.  

“When it comes to adopting from foster care, parents should remember they are adopting that child’s entire future and entire past,” Beaton said. “These children have a whole family history behind them that we now encompass in our own family history. The staff at Orchards Children’s Services have so much knowledge about the system and have processes in place for both birth and adoptive families to be successful. I had all the support I needed throughout both of my children’s cases.” 

Beaton’s is just one of the hundreds of adoptions AACFA organizations help facilitate each year. Along with adoptions and foster care, AACFA organizations like Orchards Children’s Services provide a multitude of resources for children and families.  

“We know that foster care and adoption can be complicated and emotionally-taxing processes, and Orchards is there for children and families every step of the way,” said President and CEO at Orchards, Michael Williams. “Our dedicated workers are there around-the-clock making sure children and families have the resources and care they need to thrive.” 

More information about the services AACFA organizations provide can be found on the AACFA website. 

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By Judith Fischer Wollack, president of the Association of Accredited Child & Family Agencies 

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which serves as a time to connect individuals and organizations working on domestic violence issues and raise awareness. 

As non-profit, accredited children welfare agencies, our members primarily work to improve the lives of children and families by providing them with the care they need to thrive. Many of the children in our care and the families we work with have experienced some form of domestic violence.  

Children and families in our care receive trauma-informed treatment from trained professionals, as well as mental health support. Some of our agencies also have programs to support young women in their recovery and resilience, as well as trauma recovery resources for children and families. 

We know experiencing or witnessing domestic violence has a profound impact on children and can be one of the root issues that brings them into our care. Children who are exposed to or victims of domestic violence are at risk for long-term physical and mental health issues, and may be more likely to be violent in their future relationships, according to the U.S. Office on Women’s Health. 

Domestic Violence Awareness Month was launched nationwide in 1987, and over the last 30 years we’ve made much progress in supporting domestic violence victims and their families. However, an average of 20 people in the United States are physically abused by intimate partners every minute, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. 

Our organizations can be a great place to start for children and families impacted by domestic violence. There are many other resources as well: 

• Visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline website for free and confidential help and to create a path to safety. 
• Find a list of shelters for domestic violence victims across Michigan. 

• Learn more about each AACFA member and discover what resources are available. 

Trauma-informed treatment from trained professionals can make a huge impact on domestic violence victims and their families. It’s crucial Michigan’s children and families who have experienced domestic violence have the care they need and deserve during Domestic Violence Awareness Month and beyond. 

By Judith Fischer Wollack, president of the Association of Accredited Child & Family Agencies  

Children and families are struggling with their mental health now more than ever. 

As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, anxiety and depression continue to be at high levels as regulations change, life events are cancelled, and unprecedented times carry on.  

Non-profit, accredited child welfare agencies that make up our membership have seen an influx of children with mental health issues, including more and more struggling with suicidal thoughts.  

The month of September marks Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. We use this time to emphasize issues and resources, as well as to spread hope and love to those who have been affected by suicide. In Michigan, an individual dies by suicide every six hours, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. It is so important to destigmatize the issue of suicide and help connect people with resources that could help them or a loved one in a time of need. 

Non-profit, accredited child welfare agencies like our Association of Accredited Child & Family Agency members offer a wide continuum of services to help with mental health. We know there’s pent-up demand for mental health services, and not getting children and teens help they need can have dire consequences. 

Our member organizations offer specialized programs for mental health related issues, including suicidal thoughts and self-harm. We provide round-the-clock residential care and highly personalized treatment with licensed therapists and knowledgeable, caring staff.  

We fight hard to provide these services to as many children and teens as possible because they are so vital to our state. We do so with 30 percent less funding than state-run child welfare agencies. Michigan should make fair funding a priority so we can continue to provide high quality services to children and families who need it. 

For more information about the mental health services provides by our member organizations, visit our member pages.  

Anyone who needs urgent help can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-273-8255 or 1-800-273-TALK.  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, Sept. 10, 2021  
Contact: Sydney Smith, Byrum & Fisk Communications, ssmith@byrumfisk.com, 586-212-3103 

LANSING – The Association of Accredited Child & Family Agencies (AACFA) today is recognizing 43 years of service provided to Michigan’s children and families by Ennis Center for Children, an AACFA member organization. 

Ennis Center for Children has been working with abused and neglected children for more than four decades, reaching over 6,000 Michigan children and families annually in Genesee, Oakland, St. Clair, Monroe, Saginaw, Livingston and Wayne counties.  

“Ennis Center for Children is an invaluable part of Michigan’s child welfare system, and on behalf of AACFA I thank them for 43 years of dedicated service to Michigan’s children and families,” said Judith Fischer Wollack, president of AACFA. “The Ennis Center has shown time and time again that it will rise to the challenges faced as a non-profit accredited child welfare agency to get children the care they need to thrive.” 

Ennis Center offers a wide continuum of services and faces large demand for foster and adoptive parents, as well as for mental health services, which have become emphasized by the pandemic. It offers foster care and adoption services, as well as works with delinquent teens, helping them stay in school and on the path toward adulthood. 

“We are so thankful for communities across Michigan for their more than four decades of support,” said Bob Ennis, president and founder of Ennis Center. “We take great pride in providing essential services to Michigan’s children and families and will always advocate for their best interests alongside other AACFA organizations.” 

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By Judith Fischer Wollack, president of AACFA 

As COVID-19 continues its unpredictable path forward, non-profit, accredited child welfare agencies remain committed to addressing the mental health needs of Michigan’s children and families. 

We have seen firsthand how COVID-19 has caused an uptick in the need for mental health care services for children and families, and we are at a critical point for addressing that pent-up demand. Simply put, there are not enough resources for children and families, given the shortage of psychiatric beds in our state and the closure of multiple residential care facilities. 

We’ve seen multiple news stories in recent months about children spending days in emergency rooms while they wait for psychiatric beds so they can get the vital mental health support they need to thrive.  

The Treatment Advocacy Center, a national nonprofit organization that works to eliminate barriers to mental illness treatment, reports Michigan fails to meet the minimum standard of minimally adequate mental health treatment for individuals with severe mental illness. With tens of thousands of Michiganders diagnosed with severe mental illness we only have hundreds of psychiatric beds available. 

It’s not enough to meet the current demand. 

Research also shows the mental health of children and teens has been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to research from the Kaiser Family Foundation, 29 percent of parents surveyed in May 2020 said their child’s mental/emotional health was already harmed. That number increased in October 2020, when 31 percent of parents said their child’s mental/emotional health was worse than before the pandemic. 

It’s a simple fact that children in Michigan need more mental health support.  

Non-profit, accredited child welfare agencies like our sare helping Michigan’s children and families as much as we can through this crisis, but we need more resources in order to meet the demand. We receive 30 percent less funding than state-run child welfare agencies, which spreads our expertise and resources thinner, making it harder to find and retain qualified workers, which only does a disservice to children in our state who are struggling.  

As a state, we can and must do better while non-profit, accredited child welfare agencies keep working tirelessly to make sure Michigan’s children and families have the care they deserve through these incredibly difficult times.  

By Judith Fischer Wollack 

Many children who enter the child welfare system have experienced traumatic events and need a safe place to cope. 

June 27 is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day, and as a group of non-profit, accredited child welfare organizations who work with children and families with PTSD, we believe it’s important to highlight existing resources and how policymakers can help children in our care who need support.  

Our organizations provide help to the children and families in our state who need it the most. Many children come into our care traumatized. Foster and adoptive children may have specific needs that we are equipped to treat, aiding in healing and coping.  

Trauma can affect children physically and mentally and can change the way they think for the rest of their lives. These children may develop unhealthy or dangerous behaviors, which could have protected them in the past from abusive behavior that initially traumatized them.  

Here are some helpful resources on parenting children who have experienced trauma. 

• Parenting a child who has experienced trauma 
• Helping foster and adoptive families cope with trauma 
• Parenting after trauma: Understanding your child’s needs  

Non-profit, accredited child welfare agencies are here to help. Our organizations offer a full continuum of high-quality and comprehensive services, including counseling and mental health services for children and families. 

We offer this wide continuum of services with a fraction of the funding that state-run organizations receive, which is why we advocate for Fair Funding for Michigan Families. Increasing funding fairness across child welfare agencies would allow us to provide more high-quality services and meet the growing needs of children and families in Michigan who have experienced trauma, especially amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

Children and families in Michigan, especially those who have experienced trauma, deserve the best possible care. Policymakers can help in this by funding our organizations fairly, so we are able to give children and families the support they need. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, May 20, 2021 
Contact: Sydney Smith, Byrum & Fisk Communications, ssmith@byrumfisk.com, 586-212-3103 

LANSING – The Association of Accredited Child & Family Agencies (AACFA) is calling on Michigan lawmakers to make the $2.25 hazard pay increase for direct care workers permanent.  

The pay increase, which was enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, is set to expire amid a critical labor shortage facing non-profit, accredited child welfare agencies. These workers provide much needed care to Michigan children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. 

“Our agencies provide high-quality and comprehensive services — from adoption and foster care to juvenile justice and residential care and other family services — without the same funding as state-run child welfare agencies,” said Judith Fischer Wollack, president of AACFA. “As non-profit agencies, we are competing for talent with state-run agencies, which are able to pay more. We need resources to ensure we have enough talented people to serve the growing needs of children and families in our state.” 

The COVID-19 pandemic, along with contributing to the labor shortage, has impacted Michigan’s child welfare system, including causing a pent-up demand that agencies in Michigan will need enough workers to address over the coming years.  

“Lawmakers must ensure child welfare agencies are equipped to meet the needs of the communities we serve,” Fischer Wollack said. “AACFA stands ready to work with our legislators to make sure children and families get the care they need to thrive.” 

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