Mission:
Lawrence County (TN) DCS Community Response Team is designed to aid children as they come into custody with age specific needs through a multifaceted approach. Through this approach, resources and grace are offered to not only the children, but also to DCS workers and placement families. Synopsis:
Lawrence County is eleventh in the state of Tennessee, first in the state’s south-central re
gion, for highest volume of children in foster care, not including next-of-kinship placements (family members, neighbors, friends, baby-sitters, etc.).
“All too often, when children come into custody, all they have is the clothing on their backs, may have to remain at a police station for many hours until a DCS worker can collect them, and then they may have to sleep at the DCS office until they find permanent placement,” Nicole Miller, Lawrence County Drug Endangered Children’s Coordinator said. Grace House provides these children a welcoming place to rest instead of the DCS office. Often times, not only are the children experiencing trauma, but so are the first responders and DCS workers. GH will provide them the grace they may need after such events. GH will provide the children warm meals, hygiene items, fresh clothes and any other such resources to meet their needs, so, this will require pantries for food, clothing, hygiene items, and DCS care bags for when they enter a permanent placement.
“How can we convince the children that we are helping them by removing them from a dangerous situation, if we are not ready to meet even their most basic needs with the appropriate resources,” Miller said.
“Through your partnership, we can help deescalate an already traumatic experience for everyone involved. A little grace may go a long way and team work makes the dream work. It will take the whole village working together to ensure these children – our children – feel at home.”
