• She’s not going to let her youth in foster care define her adulthood

    October 5, 2021 · Foster Care / Adoption,Ministry News

    That Sunday … well, it was both strange and chaotic. For Anika Pfannenstiel, it began with church and ended with a runaway sister and a trip to the police station. By the afternoon, officers had removed Anika and two sisters from their home as the three entered the Kansas foster care system. Monday, they went to court, where the judge awarded temporary custody to their older brother. In a matter of hours, 12-year-old Anika’s life had turned upside down.

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    Hi-Lites 2021: Fall e-zine

    September 22, 2021 · Hi-Lites,Newsletters

    Check out the second edition of our Hi-Lites e-zine. Read about our 25 years of providing therapeutic foster care, guardians ad litem, our foster and kinship families of the year, a generous young donor, and a whole bunch more.

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    Saint Francis Ministries in Texas is moving into Stage II of Community-Based Care

    September 3, 2021 · Foster Care / Adoption,Ministry News,Press Releases,Texas

    – Saint Francis Ministries in Texas is excited to announce our engagement in Stage II contract negotiations with the Office of Community-Based Care. In this, Saint Francis will begin the transition of work within Region 1 in partnership with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. We appreciate the opportunity and confidence in moving to Stage II of Community-Based Care and look forward to serving the children and families in Region 1 in a greater capacity.

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    Saint Francis Kansas Kinship Family of the Year: Gena and Clifford Hailey

    June 29, 2021 · Foster Family Features,Kansas,Kinship,Ministry News

    Human beings will do pretty much anything for those they love, and little compares to the love of a grandparent for a grandchild. So, when Gena and Clifford Hailey realized Phoenix, 3, and Merlin, 2, needed help, they didn’t hesitate to step in. Their daughter had struggled with addiction and other mental health issues for years, resulting in the boys developing health problems of their own.

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    Saint Francis Kansas Foster Family of the Year: Lance and Mandy Tally

    June 21, 2021 · Foster Care / Adoption,Foster Family Features,Kansas

    Licensed more than four years ago, the Tally family didn’t hesitate to wade into the deep end with their first long-term placement – a sibling set of four. Shortly afterwards, they added a fifth placement while the child waited for a kinship assessment. They’ve also fostered a teen, so she could remain in the community until she finished high school. They gave her a car and helped her apply for college and open a bank account. As far as Lance and Mandy are concerned, these actions are all just part of being an advocate for children in their care.

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    Saint Francis Ministries welcomes Rachel Williams-Ehue as Regional VP in Texas

    June 7, 2021 · Ministry News,Press Releases,Texas

    "We are excited to welcome Rachel to West Texas as she is a proven leader who has dedicated her life to improving child welfare systems to better serve children and families," says Cristian Garcia. He emphasizes her long career in child welfare, having served countless children and families over a span of nearly 20 years as a case manager, supervisor, and director at Saint Francis Ministries.

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    Understanding Long-Term Effects: Trauma Treatment Evolves

    May 19, 2021 · Hi-Lites,Ministry News

    Trauma can result from a single incident, such as the death of a parent or child. Or it can manifest as what child welfare workers call “complex trauma,” exposure to multiple traumatic events over time, often of an invasive, personal nature and resulting in challenges with shame, trust, self-esteem, identity and emotion regulation. Saint Francis has recognized the need to understand trauma and its impact on emotional development since the mid-1970s, said Chief Clinical Officer Cheryl Rathbun.

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