The role of the Foster Care & Adoption Resource Center is to provide a resource and referral source for questions from foster parents, the professionals working with them (e.g. foster care coordinators, licensing specialists), adoptive parents, and support groups. There is an 800 number for calls and it will provide some after-hour accessibility for parents to acquire information. There is generalized information on the process of being a foster or adoptive parent, as well as access points for assistance available. It will refer any families with system issues to the appropriate resource for resolution. Also provided is a library of materials that can be utilized by all the above parties. The Foster Care & Adoption Resource Center coordinates the development of a statewide foster parent handbook, the development of a radio media campaign to recruit foster parents, as well as the development and planning of training initiatives for foster/adoptive parents and foster care coordinators. The Foster Care & Adoption Resource Center will work closely with foster care coordinators, adoption agencies, support groups, the UW Training Partnership and the Department of Health and Family Services to ensure that quality training and services are provided to family, and work to ensure that the Resource Center is a successful part of the Program Enhancement Plan.
There are a number of children in Wisconsin with special care needs waiting to be adopted. Efforts are made to find an adoptive family that best meets the needs of a child when it is not safe for the child to live with their birth parents. It may take time to find the appropriate family that can provide the extra measure of patience, acceptance, caring and understanding of the child’s needs because of their mental or physical handicaps, disruptive behavior, medical problems or other factors.
The Adoption Assistance Program can help the family meet the costs of extensive and frequently expensive care. The Adoption Assistance Program is funded under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act and State matching funds. Adoption assistance may include:
Medical assistance for some medical costs not covered by the family’s health insurance;
A monthly amount to adoptive parent(s) to assist meeting the financial demands of caring for a child’s special care needs (maximum of $2,000); and
Reimbursement of reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in order to complete the adoption (e.g., legal fees and/or agency fees) up to $2,000.
The web site for the Racine Unified School District
Creating strong families that serve as the foundation for community life by enhancing family relationships, parenting, child development and the community institutions that promote family well-being.
Emergency Assistance (EA) is designed to meet the immediate needs of eligible persons facing a current emergency. The emergency must be due to fire, flood, natural disaster, energy crisis, homelessness or impending homelessness.
EA is intended to avoid destitution of a child and provide living arrangements for the child in a home. EA is not linked to the receipt of any other public assistance.
For homelessness and impending homelessness, EA may be used to pay for obtaining or retaining permanent housing accommodations. It can be used to pay for temporary shelter in cases of fire, flood or natural disaster, but cannot be used to pay for temporary shelter for homelessness and impending homelessness. If there are additional needs beyond obtaining or retaining housing for homelessness and impending homelessness, EA can pay for those as well.
If you feel you meet the criteria for EA and wish to apply, please call: (262) 638-6582)
Wisconsin Shares is child care assistance available to eligible families for work, work-related, or work-and-school activities. A co-payment is required, based on the family's income.
A parent, who is eligible for child care subsidy, must participate in one of the following activities:
- Unsubsidized work
- Attend high-school if a teen parent under 20 years of age
- Participate in W-2 employment program
- Participate in employment skills training and continue being in unsubsidized employment
- Participate in Food Stamp Employment and Training work search or work experience programs
- Are a W-2 applicant participating in up-front job search, training or orientation activities
If you feel you are eligible for child care assistance, you may file an application at the Dennis Kornwolf Service Center or the Western Racine County Service Center Monday through Friday, between 7:30 am and 5:00 pm.