A Win For Arizona Families: CarePortal Expands To Maricopa County

Successful Partnership With Faith-Based Community Will Help Even More Families In Need

PHOENIX (Wednesday, February 15, 2017)— Governor Doug Ducey is announcing the official launch of CarePortal in Maricopa County to help keep more vulnerable Arizona families together.

The CarePortal is one of many partnerships formed through the Council on Child Safety and Family Empowerment, chaired by First Lady Angela Ducey, and is designed to connect families in crisis with local faith-based organizations willing to lend a hand.

The program equips caseworkers at the Arizona Department of Child Safety with a communications network through which to notify nearby churches of a specific child or family in need, allowing churches to then fill that need based on the resources they have available.

“Healing and strengthening our communities takes people working together,” said DCS Director Greg McKay. “For more than one year now, the CarePortal has been a bridge connecting public servants, local churches, and Arizonans in need. We’re excited to expand the program to Maricopa County.”

This program is one of many actions Arizona has taken to increase foster care and adoption in Arizona. But the CarePortal is about more than that, too. Requests can be anything from money for baby formula to a crib for a newborn baby to sleep in.

Once the request is submitted to the network, the CarePortal sends out an alert to participating organizations within the family’s zip code—and, after receiving the alert, the organization can identify parishioners willing to assist families in their community.

“We are so excited to expand this successful program,” said Governor’s Office Of Youth, Faith And Family Director Debbie Moak. “The CarePortal is wonderful opportunity to have the public sector and the faith-based community team up to support Arizona families in need.”

The program has operated in Arizona since December 2015, primarily in Pima County. Since its initial launch, the CarePortal has recruited 46 churches that have helped 419 families meet the needs of 1,066 children in our state.

“Our goal is ambitious but simple: keeping our communities strong and ensuring that all children in Arizona have warm homes and loving families,” said Governor Ducey. “This innovative program emphasizes the important role that our communities play in helping families in need, and I encourage Arizonans to do anything they can to help expand the CarePortal’s reach.”

On February 14, 2017, Governor Doug Ducey, First Lady Angela Ducey, DCS Director Greg McKay, and GOYFF Director Debbie Moak joined officials from CarePortal and Grand Canyon University for a special launch event to kick off the program’s expansion in Maricopa County.