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EMBRACE was organized in 2006 to increase the number of foster families in Georgia who are prepared to address the specific needs of those foster children who have been placed into state custody. EMBRACE grew out of a Task Force begun in 2005 in response to a recommendation of First Lady Mary Perdue’s Children’s Cabinet. 

As a private non-profit organization, EMBRACE seeks to work in collaboration with the state’s Division of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS) to accelerate the pipeline of new foster families and enhance the retention of veteran foster families. EMBRACE currently operates under the auspices of a volunteer board of directors that has entered into a contract with Metis Associates to provide the staff assistance needed to develop and launch Embrace.

The initial focus of EMBRACE has been to delineate a core set of support services, as well as standards of quality for each service, that are needed by DFCS foster families in order to retain quality homes for foster children. In addition to a focus on retaining foster families, there is an overarching intention to maximize the systematic engagement of local communities in partnering with local DFCS to secure the safety and nurture of Georgia’s children. The extent to which Department of Human Resources (DHR) can fulfill its legal mandates to protect children at risk of abuse is greatly linked to the extent to which local communities actively partner with local DFCS to provide the services and supports needed by the foster families and children living in their community.