Writer / Keith Roysdon
Imagine if you were 9 years old, removed from an abusive or neglectful circumstance, and headed for foster care – but first, you had to wait for hours or even overnight in a cubicle in a welfare office.
The multi-state Isaiah 117 House locations are intended to prevent that unwelcome layover at a child-services office by offering a homelike accommodation for a child and their caseworker, until a foster home is ready.
With $200,000 in funding spearheaded from Delaware County Commissioner James King and the Delaware County Redevelopment Commission, an Isaiah 117 House should be a reality in Delaware County before the end of 2024.
“There have been times kiddos have had to spend a day or two in an office setting,” said Hannah Coffman, location leader for Delaware County’s in-the-works Isaiah 117 House. The idea is to provide a home-like setting for the child and caseworker.
“If something happens at 3 a.m. and they are brought into the house and want to make cookies, we will make cookies,” Coffman said. The homes are staffed by volunteers.
Following a removal approved by the Indiana Department of Child Services, the child is always supervised and accompanied by their caseworker, and while stays at an Isaiah 117 House can be as brief as a few hours, the house is a relief to the child in an already stressful time.
Delaware County’s two-bedroom Isaiah 117 House, on land donated by the county commissioners on South Tillotson Avenue, will be built from the ground up in the coming months. Approvals for utility and service connections are on track, and Coffman said the local organization has made connections with contractors that will do the build.
For more on Isaiah 117 House, visit isaiah117house.com.
