Catholic Charities West Michigan
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Contact Information
40 Jefferson Avenue SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
United States
Online Contact Form
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
United States
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 8:30 AM-3 PM |
| Tuesday | 8:30 AM-3 PM |
| Wednesday | 8:30 AM-3 PM |
| Thursday | 8:30 AM-3 PM |
| Friday | 8:30 AM-3 PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Foster care provides a temporary, safe, and nurturing home to children who have been removed from their parent’s home due to abuse or neglect. The goal of Catholic Charities West Michigan foster care is the reunification of the child with the birth family, and our foster parents provide the safety and security during the separation that is an integral part of the success of this process.
For over 50 years, Catholic Charities West Michigan has been working with foster families whose love and support have allowed many of these children and teens to safely reunite with their parents, be cared for by relatives, or be adopted by loving families.
Catholic Charities West Michigan needs foster parents in West Michigan for children from our community who come into our care. These kids need nurturing adults on their side.
Services and information
- Traditional Foster Care
- Emergency Foster Care
- Respite Foster Care
- Adoption
Requirements to become a foster parent
Parents can access the Michigan Foster Care Portal (MFCP), which is a tool that helps expedite licensure. The portal can track progress and list the next steps a foster parent needs to take. The MFCP also contains FAQs and helpful guides for parents.
In addition to online tools, foster families also receive some financial support. How much they receive depends on the child's age and needs. Parents may also be entitled to additional reimbursement that covers care costs.
Plus, foster families can access many local and state-wide support organizations and advocacy groups. These groups provide resources, answer questions, and are happy to help form connections between foster parents.
Your foster care agency is always there if you have questions or concerns. Their goal is to ensure the child's well-being and assist parents through the fostering process and beyond.
Another path you might want to consider is co-parenting with the birth parents. The end goal in most foster cases is to reunite a child with their parents or primary caregiver. You'll work with the birth parents anyway to set up visitations, and co-parenting can make your job easier.
Working further with the birth parents can also make the entire fostering process less stressful for a child. They won't feel as if they have to "choose" between homes and families.
Ratings and Reviews
Average user rating
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Aug 21, 2017
I am writing this review so that others will have a more transparent view of this organization and how it is failing its children, and its foster and adoptive parents. It hurts me to take this step but the level of deception employed by this organization and the level of incompetence shown by its employees is staggering, particularly for an organization with a religious affiliation. One of my best friends has, for the past three months, been working through steps to adopt a child and, as those steps work towards a conclusion, the child, a young girl, has been living with her as a foster child. The only stipulation that she attached to her adoption was that the child not have a history of violence and, in short, the child that she was matched with is extraordinarily violent -- she's broken my friend's ribs among other things -- and the agency knew that was her history. My friend has tried to file incident reports following the attacks and was told that she couldn't because if she did, they'd be part of the child's record and it would make her impossible to place elsewhere. She then took steps to get the child into sessions with a special therapist to help her deal with her anger and, at every step for weeks on end, was told that she could not -- it wasn't allowed. Nor, for that matter, was discipline of any kind -- nothing physical, obviously, but not so much as a cross word and if the child reported any conflict, my friend was warned about her conduct. The child has broken holes in walls, destroyed carpeting, thrown food and dishes at restaurants -- no "cross words" are allowed. No boundaries are acceptable. When she's tried to set boundaries, she's told that the agency will take the child away. The social workers at the field level of this agency are impossibly incompetent. The people you interact with when you're considering a foster child or adoption are completely different than those assigned to your case. Be very careful when you're deciding if this agency is a fit for you -- they have demonstrated a pattern of deceit and incompetence with my friend and it's produced a sad state for everyone involved. I'm sorry to post this because my own family has adopted four children and had a wonderful experience -- but partnership with the agencies we've worked with has been a key part of our success and I've never seen any thing like what I'm seeing with Catholic Charities West Michigan.
Aug 21, 2017
This is a horrible place they do foster child/ protective custody visits here as well michigan department of corrections has a contract with them to provide released prisoner's counseling.The classes are domestic violence and substance abuse .It's a real messed up place.
Jul 10, 2017
The services are great
Jul 01, 2017
Great non profit.
Jun 22, 2017
Good counseling