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Family Finding Program
Paths for Families' proven and replicable Family Finding model helps deepen family engagement and build lasting connections for children in foster care. If your agency is exploring ways to strengthen permanency planning, we’d love to connect and share more about how our Family Finding Program can support your mission.
Since 2010, Paths for Families has partnered with the Baltimore City Department of Social Services to provide intensive family finding services for children and youth in foster care. The primary goal of the Family Finding Program is to reduce the time children spend in foster care and keep children with their family members ensuring stability and permanency. The program uses best practices and a multi-step approach to ensure positive outcomes.
Take a look at the process below!
Case Mining/Family Finding:
Each case record is examined for positive adult relationships and family connections from the child’s past. The process includes interviews with the child, caregivers, professionals, teachers, and other interested individuals. Internet searches and searches of other public and private entities are conducted in accordance with HIPPA guidelines and privacy policies.
Investigative Process:
Our team takes in-depth investigation seriously. Resources like licensed private investigation services, online searches, and other resources in accordance with HIPPA and other privacy standards may be employed to ensure we are exhausting all avenues to identify permanency possibilities for every child in need.
Blended-Perspective Meetings:
Once a permanency resource has been identified for a child and a relationship has been formed, a Blended-Perspective Meeting is held to discuss strategies for supporting the connection. The team identifies ongoing needs such as referrals to family and individualized counseling, educational supports, and resources. Additional support services are provided on a case by case basis depending on need.
Family Finding Program Outcomes:
Paths for Families defines permanency as the placement of a child from state-funded care into a permanent home through adoption, reunification, custody and guardianship, kinship, or the establishment of a Lifelong Connection (LLC).
Since 2010, the Family Finding Program found permanency for more than 1,000 youth.
Last fiscal year (July 2024-June 2025):
- 323 children were served.
- 171 youth moved towards permanency.
- At six months, 91% of connections remain intact.
- At one year, 81% of connections remain intact.
Check out the video to learn more about our impact!
Meet the Family Finding Program Team:
Melissa Lewis-Ransom, LMSW
Family Find Manager
Kim R. Bivens
Family Find Permanency Specialist
Kristan Brown
Family Find Permanency Specialist
Mahogany Henderson
Family Find Permanency Specialist
Keyla Ragland
Family Find Investigator
Lakisha Solomon, MSW
Family Find Permanency Specialist
Olivia Strothers
Family Find Specialist, Family Preservation
Janet Watkins
Family Find Investigator
Mardea Zor, MSW
Family Find Permanency Specialist