Serving Circuit 5 including Marion, Lake, Sumter, Citrus and Hernando Counties
Devereux Kids is partnering with Kids Central, Inc., the Department of Children and Families and residents of West Ocala to implement a neighborhood family center project. The project was developed after close examination of the reasons children were coming into care in the zip codes with the highest reports of abuse and neglect. The Marion County Prevention and Diversion Project determined that 60% of the children removed from their home in Marion County had a primary maltreatment issue related to substance abuse and 78% of the children were from seven zip code areas. Of those removed 89% of parents had no involvement with faith based organizations, 88% were single parents, 86% had no college or High School graduation, 79% unemployed and 75% had no involvement in their community. These data indicated a comprehensive community focus is necessary and the project leadership believes a community driven, strength based community development strategy will be most effective in addressing these issues from a prevention and diversion perspective.
The West Ocala neighborhood will be the first of five planned centers, one in each county. The purpose of neighborhood family centers is to address the prevention and diversion of abuse and neglect by engaging families in services that will promote family well-being, safety and health. Devereux Kids Community Facilitators will work with resident leaders and community partners to identify and use existing resources available in the county but not necessarily accessible to the families living in a target area and bring those services to the neighborhood. The centers' staff will facilitate, network and coordinate with all partners and stakeholders to secure those additional resources to make them more accessible to families in these under-served communities. |
| 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 | | | |
|
