CK Family Services is proud to announce its collaboration with 4 leading child welfare organizations in North Texas (Texas Family Initiative, Jonathan’s Place, The Bair Foundation, and Pathways Youth and Family Services) and that the collaboration, known as EMPOWER, has been awarded the Community-Based Care (CBC) contract in Metroplex East—a nine-county region which includes Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro, and Rockwall counties. DFPS Metroplex East is the fifth region in Texas to transition to CBC services. Work begins March 1, 2023 with a goal for EMPOWER to receive its first child placement referral in early Fall 2023.
“We are thrilled to be partnering through EMPOWER to provide community-based care services in the Metroplex East region. This collaboration represents a significant opportunity for us to expand our reach and impact even more lives in the community. We look forward to working closely with EMPOWER to provide high-quality care and support to those who need it most.” – Daniel Lund, Chief Executive Officer of CK Family Services.
As a leader in this partnership, CK Family Services will ensure a focus on quality and innovation in addition to direct care service delivery. CBC provides a framework for EMPOWER to draw on local community resources to find innovative ways to meet the unique individual needs of children and their families involved with the child welfare system. EMPOWER will oversee foster care, case management, kinship, and reunification services throughout the region. The collaboration will partner with the community to establish a network of service and placement providers to improve the overall well-being of children in foster care and keep them closer to home and connected to their communities and families.
“We are extremely excited to partner with DFPS in Metroplex East,” said TFI Texas Senior Vice President, Linda Garcia, PhD. “EMPOWER looks forward to working with all of the current providers, stakeholders and foster families to provide the best quality services for children and families in our community.”
Through its partnership with DFPS, EMPOWER is committed to serving every child, youth, and family member in its care, so they may realize safety, permanency, and overall wellbeing.
EMPOWER is a unique partnership between Texas Family Initiative LLC, CK Family Services, Jonathan’s Place, Bair Foundation, Pathways Youth and Family Services that works together to serve some of our most vulnerable children and families. This partnership has almost 190 years of combined child welfare experience and will further our community’s pursuit of caring for our children and families with integrity and success. To learn more, please visit www.3EMPOWER.org.
“We are fully engaged in our support of CBC and look forward to supporting EMPOWER as we work together to enhance the physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of at-risk children and families. March 1st represents the beginning of a journey and we are committed to keeping our stakeholders updated as additional information becomes available.” – Shawn Wilson, Chief Business Development Officer of CK Family Services
Inquiries related to CK Family Services participation in the EMPOWER collaboration should be sent to communications@ckfamilyservices.org.