The Harlem Children's Zone has created a system of care that steps up from preventive services to family rehabilitation services to foster care services, and steps down in the reverse order. To accomplish this goal, we have developed relationships with other service providers which allow us to provide both intake and discharge planning in a seamless fashion. When a child is being reunified with his/her family, we work with the foster care agency and the parent before the child comes home to insure that they have access to any and all of the Harlem Children's Zone services they need. Where children have gone into foster care, we have a Family Group Conference approximately 30 days after placement so that families have the opportunity to have a timely, safe reunification.

We recognize that in the above situation the foster care agency has responsibility for the case and the family must be formally referred to the Harlem Children's Zone. Therefore, in coordination with the foster care agency, Harlem Children's Zone will outreach to the family prior to discharge to explain Harlem Children's Zone services and programs. The Harlem Children's Zone is committed to the Family-to-Family strategy and will work closely with our foster care partners to see that our families and the prior foster care family have a facilitated working relationship. If we need to place one of our children into foster care we will work directly with the Administration for Children's Services and our foster care partners to insure that the child and family receive every opportunity to reunite in a timely fashion if family reunification is indicated.