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Children Waiting
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CJ, Age 15
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This youngster is very affectionate and loves to cuddle. C.J. is charming and funny and loves to play board games, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Twister, and Cranium Jr. He enjoys feeding and caring for animals and participating in Special Olympics.
C.J. is in an MH classroom and takes medication to help him control his mood and behavior. He also has a seizure disorder for which he takes medication. C.J. will need to continue to see his neurologist regularly and attends weekly physical therapy.
C.J. needs a loving family who is willing and able to provide him with a high level of structure. Because he needs a lot of individual attention, C.J. would do better in a family where he is the only or youngest child. He has extended family members and siblings with whom he would like to stay in contact. C.J. is currently placed in a therapeutic foster home placement.
C.J. is in the permanent custody of Athens Children Services and is legally available for adoption. Subsidies are available.
For more information on C.J., please visit the Children Waiting section of our website!
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Community Education
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Athens County Children Services would love to come speak with your community group about how to recognize and prevent child abuse. For more information, please call (740) 592-3061 and ask to speak with Laura Bobo.
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Contact Us
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If you suspect abuse or neglect, please call:
740-592-3061
(M-F, 8:00am - 4:30pm)
1-877-477-0772
(After-hours, weekends, holidays)
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If you would like more information on foster care and adoption, please call: 740-592-3061 (M-F, 8:00am - 4:30pm)
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| Walk for Foster Care Awareness | |
Please join staff, interns, and foster parents of Athens County Children Services for our 4th Annual Walk for Foster Care Awareness. We will meet at the Athens County Courthouse at 3:30 pm and make the 2 mile journey up Court Street and over to East State Street, ending up on the front lawn of Athens County Children Services.
There is no cost to join the walk. We are looking forward to having as many walkers as possible to show support for youth in foster care!
For more information, please call (740) 592-3061.
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Wear Blue To Work Day
 Our first annual Wear Blue To Work Day on April 11 was a great success, with over 2000 professionals in Athens County wearing blue to raise awareness about child abuse. Our agency was proud to stand with our community in a united front against child abuse.  It is our hope that the simple act of wearing blue has sparked a community-wide conversation about how we can all step up to protect children. It is important that this conversation take place year round, and not just during Child Abuse Prevention Month. 
For a full list of Wear Blue To Work Day participants, please visit: Athens County Children Services website Athens County Children Services Facebook page |
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Foster Care Matters
This letter to the editor was written by second-year MSW intern Lisa Seitz.
May is recognized as Foster Care Awareness Month in order to acknowledge and express appreciation for the hard work and dedication of foster parents from across the nation. As the tradition continues, Foster Care Awareness Month has also been utilized to educate the public about obstacles older youth in foster care must face especially as they "age out" of the system.
Every year in the United States, approximately 28,000 youth will emancipate from foster care. Of these 28,000 youth, only about 2% will graduate from college with a bachelor's degree. Although 2% is not an encouraging statistic, we must remember that despite the traumatic life circumstances foster children have endured, some do still go on to lead successful lives. It is likely that these former foster youth were so resilient, because they had at least one person in their lives that encouraged them to overcome the challenging hand life had dealt them.
So as we enter the month of May, please consider how you might make a difference in the lives of foster youth. This community offers several opportunities to do this, including the Athens CASA/GAL program and Big Brothers Big Sisters. One might also consider becoming a foster or adoptive parent for Athens County Children Services.
I also invite you to attend the Athens County Children Services Walk for Foster Care Awareness on May 18th at 3:30 pm. The event will start at the Athens County Court House and continue on a 2 mile path back to Athens County Children Services.
Finally, I want to thank all of those that have or are currently providing foster or kinship care. It is nearly impossible to express enough gratitude for the time, dedication, and love you have shown to the children in your care. Whether you may realize it or not, you are making a difference!
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Kidfest 2012 Wrap-up!
On Saturday, April 21, Athens County Children Services hosted its 23th Annual Kidfest. Despite the chilly and rainy day, over 2,000 people lined up at the Convocation Center to take part in this year's event.
The aim of Kidfest is to provide a fun and save event where local families learn about services and organizations which serve the needs of children. This year over , over 60 organizations joined in the day of fun with activites like Live Healthy Appalachia's tug-of-war and Rural Action's exhibit on animal tracks.
 While the event featured a wealth of healthy lifestyle information, some portions featured pure fun. One major hit was the Mark Wood Fun Show, a 30-minute segment in which cowboy Mark Wood told jokes and showcased magic tricks. Other fun activities included the Cooking Caravan, Kiddie Tractor Pull, Snakes Near and Far, and the Athens Irish Dancers.
Each year, this event requires many helping hands. Over 80 volunteers from ACCS, Ohio University's Student Social Work Organization, Alpha Phi Omega community service fraternity, Beta Alpha Psi business fraternity, and Athens Kiwanis ensured that the 4-hour event ran smoothly and efficiently.
This year's Kidfest was a great success and proceeds go toward helping children with special needs.
For more information or to inquire about next year's Kidfest, please contact Sherri Oliver at 740-592-3061 or by e-mail at olives@odjfs.state.oh.us.
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Upcoming Events
May 2012
National Foster Care Awareness Month
This May, join ACCS in thanking the extraordinary people who give safe homes to children through foster care.
May 2, 2012 (5:30 pm - 7:00 pm)
Promise Neighborhood Town Hall Meeting
(Sponsored by Tomcat Bridgebuilders)
May 18, 2012 (3:30 pm - 5:00 pm)
Foster Care Awareness Walk
Meet us at the Athens County Courthouse at 3:30 pm to walk to ACCS in support of foster care awareness.
June 15-16, 22-23, 2012
Foster parent pre-service training
For more information, please call 592-306. |
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