Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 3-1-19

Feature
Eckerd Connects Eliminates Only Black Child Placement Center
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Last year, Eckerd Con- nects re-organized its foster care program. As a result, the only minority owned and op- erated child placement agency lost its state contract.
The Family Enrichment Center holds the distinction of being the only facility of its kind in the state and the southeastern United States. The facility has been in busi- ness for more than 26 years and has a reputation for being community connected, Charles Davis, C. E. O. of Family Enrichment Center said.
Davis further said Eck- erd Connects selected the Children’s Home Network, A Door of Hope, Camelot Com- munity Care, and West Florida Foster Care Services. He said none of these facili- ties are in the African Amer- ican community.
“I just think that consid- ering the problems DCF and
people in this community who grew up here and are doing well. But, it seems that many of them have forgotten their own backgrounds.”
He said the reality of fos- ter care placement is that “Black and brown children are harder to place than oth- ers. I think we are going to see more injuries and deaths because of a lack of concern and the relationship between the facility and the foster homes. These types of rela- tionships don’t develop overnight, but over years.”
Since its inception, the Family Enrichment Center has worked with people in the community to become foster parents, adoptive par- ents, or long term caregivers.
Davis feels those rela- tionships should not be sac- rificed and programs such as this should be as much a part of the community as the peo- ple who live there.
“We must become stake- holders in our children and make sure they grow up and
become productive adults. Children who have been re- moved from their homes are the most vulnerable. They need to be surrounded by those who understand their culture, their backgrounds,
and their needs.”
He further said Family
Enrichment Center was founded on this principle. “I am asking all of those who can, to come forward and in- vest in their youngsters.”
SUPERINTENDENT CHARLES DAVIS
the foster care system has had trying to find homes, it’s not in good taste to overlook a minority owned and oper- ated facility. To me, making this decision was not using wisdom.”
Davis stated that he feels its time for members of the community to come forward to make a difference in the lives of these children. “We, as a community, are not sup- portive. There are several
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