Supporting Families Before, During and After the Adoption Process
Aspiranet’s REACH Program (Resources, Education, Advocacy, Crisis Intervention and Hope) was developed to empower and strengthen families who have had their lives changed forever by adoption. REACH supports families long after the adoption process has been completed, with resources, education, advocacy, crisis intervention and hope.
Aspiranet recognizes that adoption is a life-long process, requiring ongoing support and access to resources. REACH services are available to not only help families effectively prepare for the experience of adoption, but to support families in managing the unique aspects of adoptive parenting.
REACH services include counseling and case management services to help families during difficult times and through unique challenges. Participants in the REACH Tulare County program are eligible to receive short-term, therapeutic services, free of charge, by Master’s-level Social Workers who are familiar with adoption-related issues. Families are also eligible to receive in-home case management services.
REACH also offers Referral Services, which include assessing and responding to each adoptive family’s needs, questions and concerns and referring families to adoption-competent community service providers. The REACH Tulare County program hosts a monthly parent support group and child play group and a teen support group. Adoptive families also have access to the REACH Lending Library, a collection of 275 books, videos and DVDs that cover a large variety of adoption-related topics.
Aspiranet’s REACH program also stays connected with adoption families through newsletters and its website, which offer adoption-related information and articles, current legislation impacting adoption, upcoming events, suggested readings and book reviews for both parents and children.
Since its establishment in 2007, REACH has successfully met the needs of about 95 families living in Tulare, Kern, Merced, Fresno, Mariposa and Madera Counties; REACH supports about 75 families at a time. REACH is here to support families before, during and after the exciting and life-changing process of adoption.
Launch program site www.reachtularecounty.org
