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Children are referred by many youth service agencies such as the Department of Family and Children Services and the Department of Juvenile Justice. Each CHRIS Kids home is set up to provide individually focused services for children (either boys or girls) who have suffered repeated placement failures and abuse or neglect. These children include those who were sexually abused, physically or emotionally neglected, victims of prostitution, or exhibit self-harming behavior. Each home provides hope and healing to six children, grouped according to age and gender. Although a number of children have remained at CHRIS Kids for several years, the average length of stay in 2005 was 9 months. While over half our children have no identified family when they come to us, we work diligently with family members that are available, try to locate other relatives and create mentoring relationships for the children who don’t have other caring adults in their lives. Each year over 100 children are provided opportunity, hope and healing in a CHRIS Kids family. CHRIS children typically have an average of nine failed placements prior to their admission. They are about two years below grade level. 95% are from impoverished backgrounds and have had little or no exposure to enrichment activities. The children require psychotherapy and a living environment that provides clearly structured guidelines to teach them what constitutes healthy and appropriate behavior. Unlike locked residential facilities or campus-based treatment, CHRIS Kids provides intensive mental health treatment in family-like homes, located in residential neighborhoods throughout metropolitan Atlanta. The demographics of the children vary. Presently these percentages reflect the statistical breakdown of CHRIS children: 66% male and 34% female, 54% African-American, 35% Caucasian, 6% Hispanic, 3% Native American and 2% bi-racial. Pictures of our homes show below show that they are like the other homes in their neighborhoods.
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