By DAVID A. MANN
Regional Youth Services has taken over management of Noah’s Ark Children’s Village, a Jeffersonville foster care campus.
The announcement was made at a meet-and-greet reception Thursday afternoon. Leaders of the organizations called it an opportunity to provide more services while operating more efficiently.
Noah’s Ark is a five-home foster-care facility on Allison Lane, where families take care of foster children. In exchange, they’re offered a home to live in, food and transportation.
Joe Huecker, executive director of Regional Youth Services, said the two organizations began talking about the merger over the summer and have since been ironing out the kinks.
“We’re bringing different management resources,” Huecker said, noting that the state has been encouraging organizations to work together and even consider merging.
One of the advantages will be that Regional Youth Services has a more diversify funding base, he said. Noah’s Ark had a number of devoted givers, he said. However, Regional Youth Services has access to federal money, grants and fees for services from the county.
“That’s going to add to Noah’s Ark,” he said.
David Hillman, vice president of Regional Youth Services’ board, said the children at Noah’s Ark also have access to the professional staff of his organization — including counselors, therapists and others.
“It’s a tremendous asset,” he said.
Noah’s Ark board member Carla Shields said she was “very excited” about the pairing, noting that Regional Youth Services brings a long list of programs to the campus. Shields, who’s been on the board for six years, said that Noah’s Ark began taking care of foster children in 2000.
“I’ve seen a lot of growth. We’ve had great volunteers here,” she said.
The five-house campus looks little different than any other rural neighborhood. Large homes — built to accommodate multisibling families — are connected by a single, circular street. Inside, there are designated play areas, study areas and open, airy rooms.
The campus is 86 acres in total, with horses and goats behind the homes.
According to Huecker, there are two foster families — including eight children — living on the campus now. A third family has expressed interest, meaning that three of the five houses could soon be full.
The first order of business following the merger will be to work with the county’s office of the Department of Child Services to conduct a needs assessment, Huecker said.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS
• Regional Youth Service is an accredited foster placement and support agency that works with courts, the Department of Child Services and probation offices. It was founded in 1972 and currently with 62 children in 45 homes in 15 Southern Indiana counties.
• Noah’s Ark Children’s Village has a 10-member board of directors who will remain in place and communicate regularly as Regional Youth Services manages its 86-acre, five-home foster community.
