Heartland for Children

HEARTLAND FOR CHILDREN (HFC) IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION SERVING AS THE LEAD CHILD WELFARE AGENCY IN FLORIA CIRCUIT 10 FOR AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF CARE FOR THE PROVISION OF FOSTER CARE AND RELATED SERVICES. SERVICES INCLUDE: EMERGENCY SHELTER, IN-HOME PROTECTIVE SERVICES, RELATIVE CARE PLACEMENTS, FOSTER CARE, INDEPENDENT LIVING, FAMILY REUNIFICATION, FAMILY PRESERVATION, ADOPTION AND APPROPRIATE RELATED SERVICES. CIRCUIT 10 SERVES THE TRI-COUNTY AREA OF HARDEE, HIGHLANDS AND POLK COUNTIES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. POLK COUNTY'S POPULATION IS THE 9TH LARGEST IN THE STATE, WITH HIGHLAND COUNTY RANKED 36TH IN POPULATION AND HARDEE RANKED 50TH. THE CLIENTS SERVED ARE THOSE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, RESIDING IN HARDEE, HIGHLAND OR POLK COUNTIES, REFERRED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, AN AGENCY HANDLING PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATIONS, OR BY THE COURT, AND WHO ARE IN NEED OF CHILD PROTECTION AND/OR PERMANENCY SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: * FAMILIES KNOWN TO THE DEPARTMENT WITH CHILDREN AT RISK OF ABUSE, NEGLECT AND/OR ABANDONMENT; * CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN ABUSED, NEGLECTED AND/OR ABANDONED BY THEIR FAMILIES; AND * CHILD VICTIMS OF ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND/OR ABANDONMENT WHO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR ADOPTION OR HAVE ALREADY BEEN ADOPTED. DURING FISCAL 2024, APPROXIMATELY 6,000 CLIENTS WERE SERVED BY HEARTLAND FOR CHILDREN IN CIRCUIT 10. The program expense figure of $67,654,853 does not include administrative expenses of $1,682,349.