Results: Elks Aidmore has provided services to Georgia’s at-risk youth, like foster children, for over 75 years through a wide range of programs. Starting in the 1930’s, Elks Aidmore provided services through clinics for youth who suffered from physical disabilities. This work led to the creation of the Elks Aidmore Hospital in Atlanta, which served the population until 1976. In 1977, Elks Aidmore changed its mission to focus on foster care. For the most part, Elks Aidmore has been self-sustaining and has received little assistance from public or corporate organizations.
Since 2007, half of GA’s providers have closed their doors, but Elks Aidmore is fully committed to providing services to children that are in foster care. Four years ago, Elks Aidmore’s board made a major decision to reduce services, while researching foster care needs in Georgia. The outcome of the reorganization was to expand services beyond residential care for young ladies. This decision was made to meet the need generated by the country’s economic recession and the growing population of youth and families that need specialized services. The vision was the beginning of Elks Aidmore’s expansion, which included creating a transitional plan, hiring staff, and completing state applications to expand in target service areas. Current services are focused on providing youth and families with the necessary skills and resources to help heal their hearts, restore their hopes and rebuild their lives. These services include:
- Residential: 141 acre campus based program in Conyers Georgia offering safe housing; education; GED and vocational training; individual, group and family therapy; health and wellness classes; life skills development; job skills development and a preparation for independent living curriculum. The center operates 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year, serving youth between the ages of 12-21.
- Transitional Living: Campus-based and community-based apartment living for youth transitioning from foster care to independence; support services are provided during the transition period. The program is designed to meet the merging and independent needs of young adults between the ages of 18 and 21.
- Therapeutic Foster Care: Thoroughly screened and highly trained foster families are used to meet the specialized needs of foster youth, from ages 4 to 21, in a family setting. Youth in Therapeutic Foster Care receive the same services available in the residential programs, combined with a “wrap” of services offered through the Community Based Alternatives for Youth initiative.
- Community Based Alternatives for Youth: A “non-residential” program designed to keep high risk youth from ages 4 to 18 in their families and communities. The program “wraps” services around youth and families, using natural and informal family and community supports.
Elks Aidmore’s work is important because Elks Aidmore works to rebuild lives that have been impacted by various degrees of abuse and neglect with a goal of reducing the homeless and incarceration cycle for former foster children. In 2012, over 220,000 hours of services were provided to youth under these various programs. Since 1977, Elks Aidmore has provided over 16 million service hours to Georgia families.
Elks Aidmore is a founding member of Multi-Agency Alliance for Children (MAAC), and its CEO serves as the board president. MAAC is a collaboration of 7 agencies (Creative Community Services; Devereux Georgia; Elks Aidmore; CHRIS Kids; Georgia Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries; Hillside; and, Twin Cedars) that work together to provide placements and wrap-around supports to children that are in foster care who require a higher level of care. All of the member agencies are engaged in “best practices” for children.
Programs: Elks aidmore, inc. Is a private non-profit agency for at-risk adolescents and their families, offering the following programs:residential: 141 acre campus-based program in conyers georgia offering safe housing; education; ged and vocational training; individual, group and family therapy; health and wellness classes; life skills development; job skills development and a preparation for independent living curriculum. The center operates 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, 365 days each year. Transitional living: offers campus-based and community-based apartment living for youth transitioning from foster care to independent living; support services are provided during the transition period. Community based alternatives for youth: a non-residential program designed to keep high risk youths in their families and communities. The program wraps services around youth and families, using natural and informal family and community supports. In addition to these services being offered in the conyers office, they are also offered in south georgia through the valdosta office. Therapeutic foster care: thoroughly screened and highly trained foster families are used to meet the specialized needs of foster youth, from ages 4-18, in a family setting. These youths receive the same services available in the residential program, combined with a wrap of services offered through the community based alternatives for youth initiative. The primary source of program revenues for the organization comes from georgia department of human services, georgia department of behavioral health and developmental disabilities and the multi-agency alliance for children. The programs are sponsored by the elks lodges and auxiliaries throughout the state of georgia and are governed by a board of trustees, composed of representatives appointed by the georgia elks lodges.