Mid Central Region
Janeen Neal
jneal@arizonaschildren.org

Gila River Foster Care Program (Pinal County)

Laura RIvera

lrivera@arizonaschildren.org

FOSTER CARE

Foster and Adoptive Information in Pinal and Gila Counties.  Please join us for an introductory information session about Foster and Adoptive Parenting in Casa Grande or Coolidge.  Sessions will last approximately two hours and are for adults only. There is no need to register in advance. If you are going to be more than 10 minutes late, please choose another date.

Please note: Some people who work in the Phoenix area but do not live in Maricopa County may be tempted to attend an orientation in the Phoenix area. However, if you live in Gila or Pinal Counties (which includes parts of Apache Junction, Queen Creek and the city of Maricopa) you need to attend an orientation in Gila or Pinal County, not in Maricopa County as services vary by county. Click here for the 2010 Foster Care Orientation Schedule.

24-hour Availability .  Arizona 's Children Association's workers are available 24-hours a day via pager.

Licensing Worker Support.   Your Arizona 's Children Association licensing worker visits your home monthly to provide advocacy, support and feedback.

Navigator Program.  The Navigator program connects newly licensed foster families with experienced foster families to help them 'navigate' through the foster system.

Foster Parent Advisory Council.  The Foster Parent Advisory Council provides input from foster parents at all levels of care.

Monthly Support Meetings :  The first Wednesday of every month from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. is dedicated to our monthly support meeting, an opportunity for foster and adoptive parents to meet and interact with other parents and discuss topics of interest as well as ask questions about specific areas that need extra guidance or support.

Bi-Monthly Support Events :  Everybody loves a reason to get out of the house and do something fun!  Once a month we dedicate a Saturday to having a day of fun with the kids.  Activities include spring training baseball games, bowling, roller skating, seasonal activities, Lifebook scrapbooking and pizza parties.

Bi-Annual Celebrations :  Each May and December we celebrate the hard work and dedication of our foster and adoptive families with a special celebration that includes food, activities, photographs, family recognition, gifts and a day of good times.

Advanced Training:  Foster families are required to complete six hours of advanced training each year.  Click here to view our advanced training schedule.