Devereux Florida: Devereux Kids: Community and Professional Education

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The GAP Project

In Circuit 10 serving Polk, Hardee and Highlands Counties

Click here to submit the GAP orientation enrollment form.

Devereux Kids’ Gap Program started in Circuit 10 in May 2007, serving Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties to assist relative and non-relative caregivers within the first 30 days of a child being placed into their home. Caregivers are invited to attend an orientation regularly held in their county and are given the opportunity to speak with professionals about issues potentially affecting the stability of the placement. In addition, caregivers receive community resource information and are provided with one-on-one assistance in completing important documents. Whereas, the caregivers who do not attend the orientation may have to wait three to six months for approval of Relative Funds, Temporary Cash Assistance, Medicaid or food stamps; Devereux Kids Gap participants receive their results within twenty-four hours in most cases.

Devereux Kids staff goes the extra mile to ensure caregivers are fully informed of local resources and educated on the system of care and benefits available to them. Prior to the implementation of the Gap Program, Devereux Kids staff members committed three months to research resources and visit each provider to discuss the details of their application process. We have collaborated with ACCESS Florida, the school system, child care providers and other community support services so that an array of resources are provided to caregivers at each session. Caregivers are also provided with the opportunity to connect to support groups and to have assistance in connecting with resources.

How did the families benefit from Devereux Kids Gap Project?

Children were placed with family members and/or loved ones in their own community.
Children remained connected with their schools, social and recreation activities.
Caregivers continue to support the child’s participation in cultural activities.
Children had a stable placement.
Caregivers were more active in case plans.
Caregiver anxiety reduced.

For more complex cases, Devereux Kids provides Family Team Conferencing for caregivers to help them connect to additional services. As of June 30, 2008, 400 children were placed with relative/non-relative caregivers in Circuit 10. Of those, caregivers for 316 of the children chose to attend the Devereux Kids Gap Project. At the time of this report, 100% (316/316) were eligible to participate in the 90-day follow-up assessment. This revealed that 306 out of 316 children were in the same placement or had not returned to the system of care. Thus, early analysis demonstrates an excellent 97% success rate.

GAP Orientation Enrollment Form

Case Manager / PI Information:

Question - Not Required - Placement Type:

Case Manager / PI Information:


*	First Name: Required
*	Last Name: Required
*	Email: Required
	Yes, I would like to receive e-mail from Devereux

Question - Not Required - Agency Name:

Question - Not Required - Unit #:

Question - Not Required - Office Phone Number:

Question - Not Required - Cell Phone:

Question - Not Required - County:

Caregiver Information

Question - Not Required - Caregiver #1 Name:

Question - Not Required - Caregiver #1 Date of Birth:

Month

Day

Year

10.

Question - Not Required - Caregiver #1 Address:

(Maximum response 255 chars, approx. 5 rows of text)

11.

Question - Not Required - Caregiver #1 Phone #:

12.

Question - Not Required - Caregiver #1 Alternate Phone #:

13.

Question - Not Required - Caregiver #2 Name:

14.

Question - Not Required - Caregiver #2 Date of Birth:

Month

Day

Year

15.

Question - Not Required - Caregiver #2 Address:

(Maximum response 255 chars, approx. 5 rows of text)

16.

Question - Not Required - Caregiver #2 Phone #:

17.

Question - Not Required - Caregiver #2 Alternate Phone #:

18.

Question - Not Required - Referral Source:

Child Information

19.

Question - Not Required - Child #1 Name:

20.

Question - Not Required - Child #1 Date of Birth:

Month

Day

Year

21.

Question - Not Required - Child #1 SS#:

22.

Question - Not Required - Child #1 Date of Placement:

Month

Day

Year

23.

Question - Not Required - Child #2 Name:

24.

Question - Not Required - Child #2 Date of Birth:

Month

Day

Year

25.

Question - Not Required - Child #2 SS#:

26.

Question - Not Required - Child #2 Date of Placement:

Month

Day

Year

27.

Question - Not Required - Child #3 Name:

28.

Question - Not Required - Child #3 Date of Birth:

Month

Day

Year

29.

Question - Not Required - Child #3 SS#:

30.

Question - Not Required - Child #3 Date of Placement:

Month

Day

Year

31.

Question - Not Required - Child #4 Name:

32.

Question - Not Required - Child #4 Date of Birth:

Month

Day

Year

33.

Question - Not Required - Child #4 SS#:

34.

Question - Not Required - Child #4 Date of Placement:

Month

Day

Year

Resources or Services Needed

35.

Question - Not Required - Please select the resources or services needed

	Access - Cash
	Access - Medicaid
	Access - Food Stamps
	School Enrollment
	Clothing
	Food
	Child Care
	Car Seat
	Housing
	Transportation
	Employment
	Counseling

36.

Question - Not Required - Special Comments:

(Maximum response 255 chars, approx. 5 rows of text)

If caregiver is applying for Relative Caregiver funds or Temporary Cash the following issues need to be addressed:

Immunizations must be current and submit copy of "blue card" from the Health Department for children three months to 5 years.

Caregiver must cooperate with Child Support Enforcement efforts to locate the non-custodial parents.

Caregiver must bring documentation of 1) legal custody, 2) citizenship (birth certificate), and 3) identity (SS card, picture ID, report cards). Citizenship not necessary of children born in FL. Caregiver can sign a form for 2 or 3 but not both.

Tampa Bay (Serving Tampa Bay)
	Central Office 10069 N. Florida Avenue, Suite B-8 Tampa, FL 33612 (813) 915-7101 (866) 611-5610 - Fax
Circuit 5 (Serving Marion, Lake, Sumter, Citrus & Hernando counties)
	507B N. Market Street Bushnell, FL 33513 (352) 793-0801 (352) 793-0804 - Fax
Circuit 10 (Serving Polk, Hardee & Highlands counties)
	1021 Lakeland Hills Blvd. Lakeland, FL 33801 (863) 534-0076 (866) 610-1491 - Fax