Family Services of Metro Orlando Prepares for Next Phase of Services to Victims of the Earthquake in Haiti

Agencies work together to help Haitian arrivals go from crisis to normal

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Family Services of Metro Orlando convened a meeting of Central Florida human services providers to assess the coordination of service delivery to Haitian families arriving in the United States following the January 12, 2010 earthquake that struck near the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Meeting attendees noted that repatriates and those seeking temporary protected status may experience difficulty finding employment and affordable housing in the current economic climate.  Additionally, many may lack appropriate documentation of identity which can present challenges to developing credit or obtaining products and services.  Demand for social services may increase regionally as new arrivals obtain temporary protected status allowing greater freedom to migrate.

Following today's meeting, a weekly provider network conference call was established to continue broad sharing of information for coordinated services and outreach to the Haitian community in Central Florida.  Tracking of demand for services will be critical to target the flow of resources to where it is needed most.

"Too often, attention is given to the initial crisis response without sufficient planning for the transition from crisis to normal," said Greg Kurth, chief executive officer of Family Services of Metro Orlando. "We expect that today's meeting and this ongoing collaboration will set the stage for continuing excellence in service delivery to those impacted by this tragedy."

Since the crisis began, Family Services has provided Creole-language counseling, temporary shelter, and volunteer recruitment assistance in support of individuals arriving from Haiti via the Sanford-Orlando International Airport.

About Family Services of Metro Orlando

Family Services of Metro Orlando is a private, non-profit organization responsible for the management of services to vulnerable children and families in Orange and Osceola counties.  Through its innovative programs and extensive community partnerships, the organization provides oversight of child protection services, such as prevention, intervention, foster care, adoption and independent living services.  Family

Services maximizes public and private resources and coordinates community partnerships toward holistic services for children and families.  For more information, visit www.fsmetroorlando.org or call 877-6-MY- KIDS.  

SOURCE Family Services of Metro Orlando