Community Based Care

Full Case Management

In an effort to provide local communities ownership of service delivery and design, the State of Florida developed the Community Based Care Initiative which mandated that all foster care and related services be managed by local community partners.   The goal of this initiative was to give local communities more impute into the management of children and families involved in the Dependency system, while increasing accountability, resource development, and performance.

Wesley House Family Services accepted responsibility for these services as the Community Based Care Provider for Monroe County in May 2005 and began providing case management services to children and their families who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned by their biological parents or legal custodians.  Wesley House services approximately 200 to 250 children throughout Monroe County, from Key West to Key Largo, operating out of three offices located in Key West, Marathon, and Tavernier.
 
In addition to others, the following services are provided through Full Case Management:

If you have questions about Case Management contact the Community Based Care Dependency Care System Director, Megan Waldron at megan.waldron@wesleyhouse.org

FOSTER CARE:

When a child is in an unsafe living arrangement due to abuse, abandonment, or neglect and no services or precautions are available to ensure his or her safety, the child must be removed.  If there are no available relatives or caregivers to care for the child, the child must be placed in foster care.  To learn more about becoming a foster parent, please see the section designated to foster parenting. If you are interested in becoming a foster parent or have general question, contact foster-adopt@wesleyhouse.org.

The Florida Foster Care Website is http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/fostercare/

ADOPTION:

Wesley House is committed to achieving permanency for all children involved in the dependency process.  For children who have no parent or legal guardian able to care for them, it is preferable to pursue adoption as a permanency option.  Wesley House Family Services also provides post-adoptive services through the Intervention Prevention Department. 

All children legally available for adoption in Monroe County, as well as throughout the State of Florida, are located on the Florida Adoption Website, http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/adoption/

For questions about Adoption contact Rebecca.Knickmeier@wesleyhouse.org.

Who can adopt?

• Adults over the age of 21;
• Applicant can be single, divorced, or married;
• Any ethnicity, cultural, economic or religious affiliation;
• Homeowners or renters with appropriate space to accommodate a child and/or sibling group and an approved adoption home study and application;
• Applicants with verifiable and stable income sufficient to support themselves and their family without receipt of public assistance;
• All adult household members, age 18 and over must pass background screenings.

Adoption Benefits

• Potential of monthly adoption subsidy until child is 18 based meeting eligibility criteria;
• Medicaid until child turns 18 including health, dental and vision;
• Tuition for undergraduate college degree in any Florida state university;
• Tax deduction;
• Reimbursement of adoption legal costs up to $1,000;
  

INDEPENDENT LIVING

Wesley House provides Independent Living services to enable older children in foster care, ages 13 to 17 and young adults formerly in foster care who exit at age 18 up to the 23rd birthday to transition to self sufficiency as adults. 

Some services provided include:

- Assessment to determine the child’s strengths, weaknesses, and needs.
- Development of a plan and goal to meet those needs.
- Assistance with budgeting.
- Assistance with resume writing.
- Financial assistance, specifically including;

If you are between the ages of 13 and 23 and currently in foster care, or were formerly in foster care, contact Wesley House at 305-292-7150 to determine what services may be available.

http://www.caseylifeskills.org/