A Team Effort: Community Partners & TFG Worked Together to Keep Two Children Out of Foster Care

The Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (MCOT) responded to a mom walking with her two children along the roadside. During the conversation, the first responders felt that the mom, Carrie*, would benefit from a mental health assessment and support. Carrie was interested in the assessment; however told the first responders that she couldn’t because she had nowhere for her children, Evie* and Elijah*, to go. So, MCOT called Together for Good.

Kayleigh, Together for Good’s Program Director in Waco, received the call and quickly began working on scheduling an intake with Carrie. Meanwhile, child protective services had begun searching for family members who could care for Carrie’s five-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son in case Carrie’s assessment led to inpatient treatment.

Evie with her host sister during the crisis hosting.

As the state social worker tried to locate relatives, a TFG host family told Kayleigh that they were more than willing to host the children. Within four hours of receiving the call from MCOT, the intake was completed, and Kayleigh was picking up the children to bring them to their host family.

Despite the sudden changes and uncertainty, Evie and Elijah adapted right away to being with their host family. The children were hosted overnight and briefly through the next day. The hosting gave the state social worker time to locate their grandfather, and Evie and Elijah were able to be dropped off in his care. 

Elijah and Evie with their host siblings during the crisis hositng.

Reflecting on the hosting, Kayleigh shared, “It was a team effort.” MCOT, child protective services, and Together for Good all played a pivotal role in ensuring that Evie and Elijah were safe and that Carrie received the support that she needed. There is no single organization able to meet a family's every need; however, vulnerable families have a network of support in McLennan County that can meet each need when community partners work together. Together for Good is honored to play a pivotal part in that network.

Because of a TFG host family, Evie and Elijah were able to be in a loving home overnight instead of potentially having to stay in a hospital or county office. What could have been an overwhelming experience for these two children turned into an opportunity for them to feel loved, prioritized, and safe.

Not only were Carrie and her children cared for during an emergency, but Evie and Elijah’s host mom shared with Kayleigh that she and her family would happily host the two children again. No matter how Carrie’s story continues, she now knows that she has Together for Good in her corner and people ready to help her and her children.

*Names have been changed to protect identity.