Article from: The Anniston Star
Volume 3, Number 24
Serving Calhoun, Etowah, Talladega, and Tuscaloosa Counties
Week of June 14, 2000
BUILDING A BUSINESS WHILE CHANGING LIVES
SERAAJ Family Homes Inc., is a private owned foster child placement/replacement service that is licensed by the Alabama Department of Human Resource (DHR). SERAAJ receives their referrals from DHR and their perspective foster parents are required to go through a ten week training program during which a thorough background investigation is done to include criminal history, violence, or any type of instability within the family unit, before a child is placed in the home. Perspective parents must be able to provide a stable environment for a child and to work along with SERAAJ staff members with on ongoing hands-on approach to their services.
SERAAJ is one of approximately 12 organizations of its kind in the state of Alabama, and one of only two minority owned. It has offices in Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery and Anniston. SERAAJ Family Homes is designed to place children within the mainstream of community life.
Services are based on the Teaching Family model. It is staffed with professional, dedicated people with years of training in the fields of: social work, child psychology, counseling and criminal justice. They also provide 24-hour unconditional care services to families and children regardless of ethnic background, sex, age, creed or disability. It works closely with foster parents as well as the biological family of the child.
SERAAJ services include: Individual/Family Assessments; In-Home Family Therapy; and Parenting Services; Crisis Intervention; Educational Advocacy; Basic Living Skills; Psychological Testing and Evaluation; Transportation Services; Behavioral Management and much more. SERAAJ believes that all children/families have the strength and the ability to positively change and that needs can be best addressed with appropriate, creative and individualized services. Services are provided to ALL children regardless of the complexity of their needs.
Mr. John Stamps, Senior Manager; for the Anniston office is currently developing new and improved programs that will better enable the program to serve the needs of the community.
[Pictured in the photograph that accompanies the newsprint copy: "SERAAJ Family Homes Inc. staff: (seated) Ivory McMillian, (standing) Sammie Evans, Case Manager; and John Stamps, Senior Manager.]
