CarePortal has good first year on Treasure Coast

Posted 2/18/22

CarePortal, a wish-request system supported by a network of local churches ...

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CarePortal has good first year on Treasure Coast

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TREASURE COAST — CarePortal, a wish-request system supported by a network of local churches, has been fully implemented in Okeechobee and the Treasure Coast for nine months and is proving itself an effective tool for those working directly with families in the dependency system.

St. Lucie County was the first to roll out the program in late November of 2020, followed by Martin County a few months later and then Indian River and Okeechobee counties during the summer of 2021.

“CarePortal has been significant in improving the experience of children and families in our foster-care community,” said Christina Kaiser, community relations director for CCKids, the organization that oversee the child-welfare system in Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties.

In its first 15 months, CarePortal served 164 children and had an overall fulfillment rate of 59.7 percent. Broken down by community, 33 percent of requests made in Okeechobee were fulfilled, 64 percent of requests made in St. Lucie County were fulfilled, 53 percent in Indian River County were fulfilled, and 67 in Martin County were fulfilled.

The total economic impact of those fulfilled requests over all four counties was $80,077, Kaiser said.

“Many of the wishes fulfilled were for things like beds and mattresses that help caregivers open their homes and keep them open to children,” Kaiser said. “So for that reason alone, the program has had a direct impact on placements – sometimes a bunk bed is the difference between children being able to stay with a relative and going in to foster care.”

careportal, children, families, foster-care, CCKids

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