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 On January 10, 2011, Time Magazine ran an amazing story regarding Extreme Recruitment titled, “Foster Care: Extreme Edition.”
CLICK HERE to read the article.
On January 31, 2010, the New York Times ran a story titled, "A Determined Quest to Bring Adoptive Ties to Foster Teenagers."
Click to Read Full Article (Web) (PDF)
 The St. Louis Post-Dispatch ran an article on October 25, 2009, titled, "The foster child thought she had nobody left to love her. She was wrong."
Click to Read Full Article (Web) (PDF)
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ER Overview (PDF)
Case File Review (PDF)
Concurrent Recruitment List (PDF)
Contact Log (PDF)
Family Search Checklist (PDF)
ER Model (PDF)
Natural Supports (PDF)
ER Staffing (PDF)
ER Timeline (PDF)
ER Top Ten List (PDF)
Genogram Example (PDF)
Message to Youth/Relative (PDF)
Roadmap to Permanency (PDF)
Supporting Documents Checklist (PDF)
Weekly Action Plan Example (PDF)
Weekly Action Plan (PDF)
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Click here to download the Extreme Recruitment Manual.
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Extreme Recruitment’s goal is to:
- Match 90% of youth with a network of safe, appropriate adults
- Match 70% of youth with an adoptive family
In 2011, we served youth, of whom:
- 88% were reconnected with safe, appropriate family members
- 63% were matched with an adoptive family
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| Extreme Recruitment
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Silly as it may sound, Extreme Recruitment was inspired by the television show Extreme Home Makeover. This program is an exciting race against time to build a house in just a week by coordinating hundreds of professionals and volunteers. Likewise, Extreme Recruitment is a race to find an adoptive home for a child in a fraction of the time it would normally take (12-20 weeks vs. 12-24 months). And it works! In only 12 months, 42 of 60 youth we worked with were matched with adoptive families; accomplishing three times the number of adoption matches in a third of the time.
We work exclusively with the hardest-to-place children: ages 10-18, sibling groups, African-American children, and youth with emotional, developmental, or behavioral concerns. Extreme Recruitment is successful for ANY child in foster care because it:
- requires weekly, intensive meetings between the child’s professional team for 12-20 weeks
- demands concentrated support from child welfare supervisors
- focuses on preparing the youth for adoption, including their mental health and educational needs
The added ingredient that makes Extreme Recruitment so effective is our private investigator. Originally, we tried to do the investigation work ourselves, but our contact rate with relatives was a dismal 23%. Within two weeks of hiring an investigator, the contact rate skyrocketed to 80%.
Our investigator finds relatives through internet tools, court databases, and good old-fashioned gum-shoe detective work. Many times, he will find a grandmother or an aunt who will say, “Thank God you are here. I have been waiting years for you to find me.” Other times, he must use persuasion and tenacity to convince relatives to meet with him.
This program is so powerful that we are now convinced that it will change the child welfare system in St. Louis. Locally, the entire child welfare system-the Children's Division, private agencies, and the courts-are excited about the results from the Extreme Recruitment program.
Watch Extreme Recruitment on KSDK to learn how it works and see how it is changing lives!
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| Here are a few kids that have benefitted...
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Sherry came into foster care 11 years ago. Despite the challenges of being in the system, Sherry held her own at school and was a favorite employee at a local grocery store. Our Extreme Recruitment program located Sherry’s older sister and now they are living together. Sherry’s grades have skyrocketed and she is even making plans for college. Sherry's deep longing for family has been fulfilled.
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Keith came into foster care at age five. Now 15-years-old, he has lived a difficult life. In February, our Extreme Recruitment investigator found Keith’s grandfather. His grandfather, who is former military, is an exact replica of Keith in both looks and manner. He is already 100% committed to Keith, and they talk on the phone every day. In less than two months, Keith’s entire demeanor has changed, "Before I thought I had no family to visit. Now I have my grandpa."
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Serena. The Coalition staff returned from Minneapolis not long ago, saying the trip was a "home run!" They found Sharon, aunt of 14-year-old Serena. Aunt Sharon lost connection with Serena ten years ago, after her niece entered the St. Louis foster care system. Greeting our Extreme Recruitment team with a big hug and tears of joy, Aunt Sharon exclaimed, "I have been so worried about her!" The visit was great, and Aunt Sharon's strength, wisdom, and commitment were obvious. Describing herself as the "glue of the family," Aunt Sharon will do all that she can to bring Serena home.
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