In order to better meet the needs of parents seeking reunification with their children in foster care, Yavapai CASA for Kids Foundation recently completed a remodel of its Barbara Polk Family Visitation Center.
There are over 300 foster children in Yavapai County. Quite often, once a child is removed from their biological parents and placed into care, the Court’s ultimate goal is reunification. However, before families can be reunited, there are critical steps that must be taken to ensure the child is returning home to a safe environment. Supervised visitation is one of those vital steps.
“There aren’t many places for families to have these types of visits in the area,” said Yvonne Bartlett, Executive Director of Yavapai CASA for Kids Foundation. “Our Visitation Center is crucial because it allows for these families to meet in a safe, homelike environment instead of McDonald’s or the public library.”
The Barbara Polk Family Visitation Center, located off Bob Drive in Prescott Valley, opened in March of 2021 during the pandemic. With COVID restrictions in full-force across the nation, the Yavapai CASA for Kids Foundation, as a precaution, limited the number of visits that could simultaneously take place. By the end of that year, the center had been used by over 40 different families for a total of 446 hours.
“We didn’t know what we didn’t know,” stated Mona Stephens, Development Director of Yavapai CASA for Kids Foundation. “After lifting the COVID restrictions, we quickly found that the space wasn’t set up for adequate privacy when multiple visits occur simultaneously.”
In 2022, the Barbara Polk Family Visitation Center had been used by over 60 different families for a total of 942 hours. With this increase and feedback from those utilizing the space, the Foundation realized the need to create 4 very distinct and private areas and eliminate the communal area that was once there.
With funding from the Prescott 100 Men Who Care, the Foundation was able to put up a wall to divide the space, install fencing for the outdoor play area, and purchase the items necessary for turning a conference room into a homelike meeting environment. Now, the center has a fully enclosed outdoor play area, 2 private family rooms with entertainment and a kitchenette, a room equipped for grade-schoolers, and an infant and toddler space. Visitors to the Foundation’s Center have already expressed their appreciation for the changes. Yavapai CASA for Kids Foundation is anticipating another year of growth for the center, in terms of usage. With the remodel, they now feel better prepared to handle the growth in a way that works for all parties involved.
To learn more about the Barbara Polk Family Visitation Center, find out how you can use your AZ tax dollars to help sustain the space, or to find out more about the foundation visit YC4KF.org or email info@YavapaiCASAforKids.org.
