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Child Crisis Center and Crisis Nursery, Inc. which joined forces in April 2015, announced the new organizational name, Child Crisis Arizona.

Child Crisis Arizona, which has an operating budget of $14.5 million and 250 employees, serves more than 8,000 vulnerable children and families annually through shelter, education and intervention services. Torrie A. Taj took the helm as CEO in September.

“It is my honor to introduce Child Crisis Arizona. My promise to you is that Child Crisis Arizona will strive to provide innovative and effective programs that will have a significant and lasting impact and provide a strong voice for those in need – one child and one family at a time. “We are more determined than ever to continue to help children and families in need. Arizona is in crisis when it comes to our most vulnerable, our children. I invite you to help Child Crisis Arizona make a difference,” said Taj.

Child Crisis Arizona’s state-of-the-art services include a multitude of programs housed within the three promises – Prevent, Support, Advocate.

Crisis & Family Services

Children’s Emergency Shelter
Child Crisis Arizona shelters are located in Phoenix and Mesa, and now are stronger together, offering services for up to 71 children, ranging from birth to 11 years. Children are admitted due to neglect, abandonment, abuse and parental incarceration. Children are placed in the shelters by the Department of Child Safety (DCS) or by families in need. Specially trained staff and volunteers provide care and support for the children. The shelters are able to address developmental delays and medical needs and provide counseling and therapy.

Our shelters are home-like facilities providing: • Supervised care – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week • Balanced meals and healthy snacks • Clothing and personal-care items • Attention to medical screenings and health issues (including vaccinations and needed trips to the doctor, dentist, etc.)

Foster Care and Adoption Program
There are nearly 18,000 children in Arizona’s foster care system, and the need for strong, well-prepared foster and adoptive families to care for these children continues to grow. Child Crisis Arizona’s Adoption and Foster Care program is committed to helping children in out-of-home care by licensing and certifying parents for foster care and adoption. The range of services and support along with realistic training prepares families for the placement of children of all ages and backgrounds. We serve single and two-parent families of all religious beliefs, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. We hold family events throughout the year including holiday-themed parties, family zoo day, summer camp, and tickets to various events in an effort to encourage our families to build supportive relationships with one another. In addition, we provide children with new clothes, toys, school supplies, and other basic items throughout the year.

Prevention and Education Programs
Child Crisis Arizona offers a no-cost resource for families and community members through 200 different parenting classes, workshops, children’s playgroups, support groups, and family events annually. Our services strive to build safe, stable and strong families through a Family Resource Model.

We assist parents and caregivers in dealing with life’s stressors by providing services that promote learning and development of parenting skills in a non-judgmental environment. All programs and services promote evidence-based protective factors proven to strengthen parent/child relationships and help families grow and thrive. They include: • Parental Resilience • Knowledge of Parenting & Child Development • Social Connections • Nurturing & Attachment • Children’s Social/Emotional

Early Education Services Program
Child Crisis Arizona operates a year-round Early Head Start and Preschool program located in Phoenix. It serves 92 toddlers ages 1 to 5 in a classroom setting. Low teacher-child ratios and small group sizes ensure that services are individualized and that children have opportunities to form healthy attachments with their teachers. Children receive myriad opportunities to develop the physical, social and emotional skills they will need to succeed in school. The program has Family Support Specialists who work with families through prenatal, home-based and center-based visits that help build strong home and classroom connections.

Home Visitation Program
Child Crisis Arizona provides a no-cost, home visitation program where we partner with parents to give them tools to help nurture the child’s learning and development. The program is available for expectant families in Gilbert, Mesa and Queen Creek, with children birth to age 5. Our program connects families with resources to assist with needs such as insurance, financial, housing, food, and recreation. They also provide developmental, vision and hearing screenings and additional support to parents to help ensure children are prepared for school before they enter kindergarten. Home visits occur at least monthly but can be more frequent as support is needed.

Relative care for Foster and Adoptive families

Locally, there are more than 100,000 family members raising related minors. The majority of that group are grandparents raising grandchildren who need our support and services. Child Crisis Arizona offers relative to care for foster and adoptive families to help caregivers in providing the best care possible through counseling support groups, education, and clinical support.

Child Crisis Arizona provides hope and services to vulnerable children and families. Child Crisis Arizona operates the only emergency shelters for children in the Valley, is a leading resource to license, train and support foster and adoptive families and provides early childhood education through a preschool, parenting classes, workshops, and playgroups.