NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

MONROE HARDING CONTINUES A 128-YEAR LEGACY OF CARING FOR MIDDLE TENNESSEE CHILDREN

BY ANNA D’AMICO

Founded in 1893, Monroe Harding has adapted to the changing nature of caring for displaced children.

Originally an orphanage, the organization now focuses on foster care, reuniting children with birth parents and helping children heal from family trauma in the meantime.

“Our mission is to change young peoples’ lives,” said Shan Edmonson, director of foster care at Monroe Harding.

Monroe Harding works with the Department of Children Services to make decisions in the best interest of the children, said Edmonson.

According to Monroe Harding’s website, the average length of a child’s stay in foster care is 12-18 months, but the arrangement can last anywhere from a few days to a few years, depending on the case.

“Each child or sibling group is individualized, so it’s a case by case basis,” said Edmonson. “It just depends on the circumstances of the birth families or guardians at that time.”

Birth parents must track progress and complete a Permanency Plan to make sure they can take care of their family once they reunite, but the length of care can always be extended if need be, said Edmonson.

The biggest need facing the organization right now is willing foster parents, including those willing to foster teenagers and sibling groups.

“There are about 9,000 children currently in the state of Tennessee who are in need of a foster home,” said Edmonson. “So we often are trying to have a variety of recruitment efforts and ideas, but there’s an enormous need for additional foster parents.”

According to the Monroe Harding website, a foster parent can be anyone over the age of 25 who has a steady income, space for a child and is able to pass a background check.

“The only thing that would hinder anyone from becoming a foster parent is they do have to pass a background check, fingerprint and local and state background checks. They must be financially stable enough to take care of their own needs before adding someone else into the home,” said Rhonda Allen, vice president of clinical services and child care at Monroe Harding.

The training process for becoming a foster parent includes a six-week course on becoming a parent and a home study that lasts 60 to 90 days, said Edmonson.

“We call that process a mutual selection process,” said Allen. “It gives the prospective parent an opportunity to say ‘yes, this is a good fit’ or ‘no, it may not be’ and it also gives the agency an opportunity to say ‘maybe you might be a stronger support person than a foster parent.’ So it’s a good process to cover the expectations, the type of children you’ll serve and what’s expected of you and the agency so people can make informed decisions about their next steps.”

The main goal of foster care is to provide a supportive environment while a child is in or transitioning out of state custody. Having a firm familial foundation in youth leads to a more successful adult life, said Allen.

“What we do know for a fact is that if children are unstable at a younger age and are not able to be stabilized or supported, they don’t do well as young adults,” said Allen. “So in foster care, what we hope to do is stabilize the children in homes that can support them, help them through their healing process, and get them prepared to return back to their families or go to another stable living condition.”

In addition to foster care, Monroe Harding provides services in housing, education, therapy and healing, and reengagement for young people up to the age of 26 who have experienced family trauma. For more information, visit monroeharding.org