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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kristina Meek
(513) 233-4748
kmeek@beechacres.org
Beech Acres Parenting Center now providing
foster-to-adopt services
March 31, 2015 (Cincinnati, Ohio) – Beech Acres Parenting Center, which has been training
and licensing foster parents for 40 years, has now become certified to approve foster families to
adopt children in their care.
In our more than 165 years as an organization, we have learned children succeed best in
flourishing families and communities that are developed through promoting intentional parenting
and the creation of nurturing environments. Last year, we served more than 23,000 children,
parents and community members across our various programs.
One of those programs, Intensive Family Restoration Service (IFRS), is very successful in
safely reuniting children with their original families. However, sometimes reunification is not
possible. Many Beech Acres foster parents have welcomed foster children into their families, but
often underwent a very lengthy adoption process.
Sharidon Wolz, Program Director for Child Welfare and Behavioral Health, explains: “Previously,
our foster parents have had to work with county children’s services departments in order to adopt the
children in their care. We wanted to partner with foster parents to provide a seamless process of
creating lasting families for children in need. Now that Beech Acres has a state foster-to-adopt
certification, we can provide permanent homes for children more quickly, reducing stress on
both the child and the parents.”
President and CEO Jim Mason elaborated. “Having the ability to support foster parents
throughout their journey of adopting the children in their care further advances our mission… to
inspire and equip today’s parents, families and communities to raise capable, caring and
contributing children. Our foster parents embody intentional strength-based parenting that will
give children every opportunity to succeed. We are excited for this opportunity to help these
families formalize their commitment to each other.”
Our next round of foster parent pre-service training begins on April 21. To find out more about
training, please contact Jessica Williams at 513.233.4707 or visit beechacres.org.
# # #
Beech Acres Parenting Center is a non-profit organization that has been serving
children throughout Greater Cincinnati since 1849. Its mission is “inspiring and
equipping today’s parents, families and communities to raise capable, caring,
contributing children.” The agency offers programs and services in Butler,
Clermont, Hamilton and Warren counties.