Mission Statements & Areas of Emphasis:

Polk Decategorization Mission Statement:

“To promote a cooperative and collaborative process that strives to provide and support an efficient and effective continuum of service delivery to Polk County children and families involved in, or at risk of being involved in, the child welfare and/or juvenile justice system.”

Polk CPPC (Community Partnerships for Protecting Children) Mission Statement:

"Working together to strengthen families and protect kids from neglect & abuse."

CPPC’s Areas of Emphasis and Examples:

1. Parent Engagement & Skill-Building: For example, Parent Peer Support groups, Free family-friendly activities, Fatherhood projects, Interpretation for Events, Education and Self-Advocacy program.
    
2. Trauma Informed/Resiliency Building Trainings:  For Example, Self-Care/Self-Compassion programs, Trauma-Informed Yoga, Refugee and Immigrant focused programs, Psychoeducation and Learning Opportunities.
3. Neighborhood Leadership: For Example, Support for Parent-Teacher organizations, Support for Neighborhood Associations, Opportunities to practice leadership in everyday life, Opportunities to facilitate civil discourse.
4. Community Justice, Addressing Disproportionality, and Building Equity: For Example, Courageous Conversations, Mediation projects, Implicit Bias Trainings, Diversion programs, Encouraging healthy youth expression, and Justice Circles.
    
5. Youth Skill Building, Transitioning out of Foster Care, and Youth Transitioning to Adulthood:  For Example, Employment and Education Engagement programs, Research, Ongoing Relationship Building and Mentoring, Mental and/or Physical Health Programming, and Peer Support.

MYFI (Minority Youth & Families Initiative) Mission Statement:

"All Polk County African American/Black children and youth who experience out-of-home placement maintain or establish a sense of belonging to family and community and achieve permanency through reunification, guardianship and adoption by relatives."