San Antonio City Council has unanimously approved a one-time grant of $950,000 that will fund Project Launch, a two-year pilot program that provides therapists for children in the foster care system.
Therapeutic costs are covered by the state, and while foster children can have only one therapist at a time, it’s possible that these children can live in up to 16 different foster homes within a year, according to advocates. Jewish Family Service, which was awarded the grant, will hire three therapists who will each take on 17 to 25 foster child patients and remain with them no matter where they are placed in Bexar County.
The funding is part of the city’s allocation of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Project Launch is the result of a partnership with Child Advocates of San Antonio (CASA), a nonprofit that recruits and trains court-appointed volunteer advocates for foster youth, and THRU Project, a nonprofit that serves young adults aging out of the foster system. CASA and THRU Project will refer clients in most need of care to Project Launch therapists.
“What distinguishes this program is the continuity of care provided through a single therapist who follows the child from CASA to THRU Project,” Jennifer Regnier, CEO of Jewish Family Service, stated in a news release. “This approach ensures that young people receive consistent, personalized support and guidance as they navigate the challenges of adulthood.”
Each year, about 8,000 to 10,000 kids are in Bexar County’s foster care system, which is operated by Texas Child Protective Services.
City Council approved a total of more than $5 million in ARPA grants June 22 in the latest round of funding for nonprofit services centered around youth, seniors and mental health.
Out of several funded nonprofits, Project Launch received the largest grant. Roy Maas Youth Alternatives received $800,000 for its shelter and counseling services; Pathways Youth and Family Services received $800,000 for its behavioral health program; The Ecumenical Center received $250,000 for its programs related to youth aging out of foster care; and Childsafe received $200,000 for services related to children disproportionately impacted by COVID.
”These funds are a crucial lifeline for numerous nonprofits in our community,” stated Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda (D6), who chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee. “This specific investment [in Project Launch] serves as a lifeline to ensure that our foster youth and at-risk youth receive the counseling and resources they need to prevent homelessness, crime, and human trafficking.”
