New York State Foster and Adoption Organization Expands Post Placement Support Services to Families

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - July 9, 2024 - PRLog -- New York State's non-profit family support organization, the Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York (AFFCNY.org), has been awarded four separate grant contracts from the NYS Office of Children's Services (OCFS) to expand the post-placement support program, Adoption and Guardianship Assistance Program for Everyone (AGAPE), to families parenting children from adoption and guardianship.  Services have been expanded and are now offered to families caring for children through all forms of formal or informal kinship custody.

AGAPE helps post-adoptive and post-guardianship families through the unique challenges they face following an adoption or other child custody placement. The post-placement support of AGAPE provides services and resources, such as online and in-person parent trainings, support groups for both parents and youth, peer mentoring, navigation for cross-system needs, therapeutic services referrals and counseling free of charge. AGAPE is open to all adoptive families and or relatives who have custody or guardianship of children.

AGAPE is staffed by adoptive parents, foster parents, birth parents, adopted people and social workers with specialized training and experience working with families formed through adoption, kinship placements and guardianship.  AGAPE will continue to be available for eligible families in Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Cortland, Dutchess, Nassau, Madison, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tompkins and Ulster Counties. In addition, a new NYC AGAPE office will provide for adoptive, guardianship and kinship families in New York City's five boroughs, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Manhattan, Bronx, Queens) and Westchester.  Please see affcny.org/AGAPE (https://affcny.org/programs/adoption-and-guardianship-ass...) for more information, how to enroll or refer a family.

About AGAPE and Permanency Resource Centers

Originally funded by the Regional Permanency Resource Centers (RPRC) initiative of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), the Adoptive and Foster Care Coalition of New York launched AGAPE in December 2016.  In 2024, PRC funding has been granted for another five years. AGAPE is one of thirteen organizations providing services throughout the state and serves families in twenty counties including New York city's five boroughs (Brooklyn, Staten Island, Manhattan, Bronx, Queens) or Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Cortland, Dutchess, Nassau, Madison, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tompkins, Ulster or Westchester Counties. In addition, a grant from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption provides services through AGAPE to all families formed through Wendy's Wonderful Kids in the state of New York.