Good Shepherd Children And Family Services

Maternity residential:shelter/residential care services for pregnant and parenting girls between the ages of 12 and 21 who are foster youth, homeless, or at risk of homelessness. In the most recent calendar year, services were provided to 50 pregnant/parenting teens and 48 babies. In calendar year 2023, 97% of clients demonstrated improved parenting skills, 77% transitioned to a planned living environment and 80% obtained/maintained employment and/or enrolled in school or vocational training.

Pregnancy & parenting support:provides counseling and case management services to expectant parents of any age and family members experiencing a stressful pregnancy. The goals of this program are to assure healthy delivery of the child and stabilize the home environment such that the child will not be at risk of abuse or neglect. Services include direct financial support, referrals for appropriate medical care and housing, and adoption planning (as needed). Counseling addresses decision making, parenting skills, stabilizing living situations, communication skills within the family, relationships, problem solving skills, planning and the legal rights and responsibilities of both parents. In the most recent calendar year, 273 clients were served, and 93% of babies born to our pps clients in 2023 were of a healthy birth weight.

Adoption: recruits, trains and counsels applicants interested in adoption. Possibilities include: non-special needs infants, special needs infants, infants available through independent adoption, children available for adoption by a relative or step-parent, infants and children available through international adoption, and older children available for adoption. In calendar year 2023, 158 individuals received services (home study, post-adoptive services, information regarding past adoptions, etc.) in that time, 94% of placements remained stable and 100% of children in adoptive placement received routine medical care according to the department of health standards.

Treatment foster care: tfc provides intensive, family-based care for deeply troubled youth as an alternative to institutional care. The program served 47 youth in calendar year 2023. 100% of youth served were free from substantiated incidents of abuse or neglect and 33% achieved permanancy.

St. Louis partners: in fy24, good shepherd became the contract holder for the foster care case management contract operated under the name of st. Louis partners. Partners provider agencies are good shepherd, bringing families together and lutheran family and children services. Together they serve 495 children and youth who are in the care and custody of the state of missouri. Good shepherd provides management staff to oversee the contract and employs 4.5 fte in those roles: director, 2 placement specialists, a quality assurance manager and a half time compliance manager.