Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman visited the DCCH Center for Children and Families this week to show support for a cause that is near and dear to her heart as an adoptive parent.
DCCH residents provided a tour around the resident hall. Denise Govan, president and CEO for DCCH Center, along with other staff, escorted the Lt. Governor on a full tour of the facilities and shared with her the different services DCCH Center offers to children and families across the state.
With DCCH Center’s 175th anniversary celebration quickly approaching, the Lt. Governor’s visit also included a question and answer session with some key staff members. Ron Bertsch, therapeutic foster care/adoption director for DCCH, praised the Lt. Governor’s initiative, started in 2020, to waive the testing fee for Kentuckians seeking to earn their GED and commented on how breaking this boundary has helped those seeking to live in DCCH’s Independent Living facilities.
Staff also spoke with Lt. Gov. Coleman about the rise in need for foster families, even though the number of children in need has decreased, citing COVID-19 and inflation as possible reasons that people are not as willing to become foster families. As of July 1, there were 8,421 children in out-of-home care in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
As an adoptive parent, the Lt. Governor understands both the challenges and rewards that come with bringing a child into a family under non-traditional circumstances. Beaming with pride as she spoke about her daughter’s adoption story, it was clear to see how much she values the work that DCCH Center for Children and Families does.
For information on the how to become a Foster Care Provider or the 175th Celebration scheduled for September 30 please visit www.dcchcenter.org.
DCCH Center for Children and Families