Crossroads Foster Care & Adoption Program

Wondering what it means to be a foster parent? Schedule an information session to determine if fostering is right for you and your family. You can help change these Georgia statistics: As of May 2019, there were 13,718 children in foster care; 150 incidents of child abuse and neglect reported daily; 113 children died from abuse and neglect in 2015. If you are interested in exploring whether foster care is right for you, download this self-assessment questionnaire, contact Tierra Harp at tharp@christiancity.org  or complete this form to schedule an information session.

A respite care family is a temporary fill-in foster family for as little as a few hours or as much as a few weeks. Performing respite care for a foster family means you could step in to care for their child(ren) in the event of an emergency, a date night, the weekend or other needs that may arise in the foster family. A respite care family is required to complete the same trainings and they are held to the same standards as a traditional foster family. Respite families can influence the life of a child in numerous ways! To learn more about becoming a respite family with Crossroads, please contact Tierra Harp at tharp@christiancity.org.

Thinking about adding to your heart and home through adoption? Contact us for info and learn more about adopting a child who is in state custody. Many children in foster care never find a forever home. You can change that by adopting a child.

Crossroads Foster Care & Adoption Program can assist in finding foster and adoptive home placements for children regardless of where the children are located within the state of Georgia. Additionally, we can assist in finding adoptive placements for children who may be located outside the state of Georgia.

However, to ensure that our families are able to take full advantage of the services offered by the Crossroads program, we have narrowed the geographic focus for foster and adoptive homes opened and served by Crossroads to the following counties:

If you have any questions about whether your home falls within Crossroads’ radius of care, please contact Tierra Harp at tharp@christiancity.org.

The Crossroads Foster Care & Adoption Program needs volunteers in the following areas:

• Tutoring – those interested in helping children reach their educational goals, i.e. retired/current teachers, college students, etc.
• Helping with events planned for our foster and adoptive families throughout the year
• Clerical opportunities
• Providing meals to our foster/adoptive families
• Helping us during Foster Care Awareness Month in May
• Helping us during Adoption Awareness Month in November
• Sharing information about the Crossroads program with your church and civic and social groups

Are you a DFCS case worker who knows of a child that may need our help? To refer a child to The Crossroads Foster Care & Adoption Program please email crossroadsreferrals@christiancity.org.

Here at Crossroads, placement referrals must come to us from DFCS. If you are concerned for the well-being of a child, please visit the DFCS website for additional information on how you can report your concerns.

Crossroads is licensed to serve youth in all age groups 0-21. In order to help potential caregivers make the most informed decision about if our agency is the best fit for their goals, we’ve provided a brief list of age groups most referred to us by DFCS. The ideal caregivers for Crossroads would be those who are open to youth who fall within one or more of the following categories:

• Large sibling groups (3 or more children; all age groups)
• Youth 9 years of age and older unless a part of a large sibling group
• Teenagers/Young Adults ages 13-21
• Pregnant or parenting teens

Crossroads is licensed to serve youth with a wide variety of behaviors and/or diagnoses. Youth in foster care have often been through extensive trauma that may include witnessing violence, having a caregiver who is dependent on drugs or alcohol, physical or sexual abuse, and being separated from their families with an added risk of being separated from their siblings. Trauma impacts the development of the brain and can lead to specific behaviors/diagnoses. While we understand that all cases are unique, below are some behaviors/diagnoses we most commonly see in youth we serve:

• PTSD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, ADHD, Adjustment Disorder, Bipolar Disorder
• Youth with a history of suicidal ideation and/or may have received in-patient psychiatric treatment
• Youth with a history of volatile temper tantrums which may include being physically aggressive towards other children or adults, breaking theirs or others’ belongings, etc.
• Youth on the Autism Spectrum (may include children who are low or high functioning; children may be non-verbal, dependent on a caregiver to assist with daily tasks, and/or may exhibit behaviors such as head banding/tantrums)

While reading comprehensive lists like these may seem overwhelming, we want to remind potential caregivers that they will learn more about the possible behaviors and diagnoses of youth in foster care in their required training prior to becoming an approved foster or adoptive parent. Additionally, caregivers will learn in their info session and throughout the approval process about the numerous supports and resources that will be provided to them when caring for youth who have experienced trauma and exhibit some of the above behaviors.

Why should I become a foster parent?

• Unfortunately, there are not enough foster parents to provide a loving home to each child. Foster parents can help a child by providing safety, stability, and love.

Who are the children in most need of a home?

• Teenagers
• Sibling groups
• Children with medical needs

What are the steps to becoming a foster or adoptive parent?

• Complete an information session
• Various training including CPR/First Aid and IMPACT FCP
• An approved home study
• Various background checks
• Medical Evaluation

Will I receive any financial help?

• Parents who foster are provided with monthly assistance to care for the needs of the child(ren) that are placed in their home. Parents who adopt may also qualify for adoption assistance from the state if the child(ren) in their home meet the requirements.

How will I know what type of child will be placed with me?

• You will be able to share with our agency your placement preferences, including requests related to age range, gender identity, number of children, etc.

Why choose Crossroads?

• 24/7 access to professionally licensed staff.
• Your human services provider will be an advocate for your family. This includes accompanying you to court procedures, searching for services within your community, and being a liaison with DFCS when needed.
• Quarterly events organized by us for you and your family.
• Welcome gift once approved.

If you would like more information on the Crossroads Foster Care & Adoption Program please feel free to contact tharp@christiancity.org or fill out this form.