Our mission is to offer healing and hope to children and families affected by abuse, abandonment or neglect.
Belong, a division of SJRC Texas, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, serves as the lead provider for Community-Based Care in Region 8b that covers 27 Texas counties. Our vision is for abused and neglected children to be empowered to grow up to be happy, productive and caring adults.
Community-Based Care
Texas is implementing Community-Based Care (CBC) to improve the lives and outcomes of children in state care. CBC is a systems change and new way of providing foster care and case management services. Key functions of the child welfare system shift from the state to contractors.
Within a geographic service area, a single source continuum contractor (SSCC) is responsible for finding foster homes for children in state care and, as the stages of service progress, providing them a full continuum of services. Check out our video below or learn more here.
Began
Our History
SJRC Texas has 40 years of experience in the child welfare industry. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization was established in 1983 as St. Jude’s Ranch for Children when the Hamilton Family purchased several acres in Bulverde, Texas to provide a safe haven to children in need.
Each day, SJRC Texas cares for more than 800 children across all programs with a keen focus on helping vulnerable children heal from past trauma due to abuse, abandonment or neglect.
In April 2021, SJRC Texas was awarded a contract through the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) for its division Belong to serve as the lead provider for Community-Based Care (CBC) for South Central Texas & the Hill Country, formerly Region 8b. Belong launched its services in October 2021.
April 1, 2022, Belong prepared for start-up of Stage II CBC. To note, the previous timeframe to advance to the next stage was 18 months and Belong is leading the charge in only 12 months.
As of October 1, 2022, Belong successfully transitioned to Stage II of Community-Based Care. Stage II allowed us to assume additional responsibilities of full case management services of the child welfare system for the 27 counties in the South Central & Hill Country Region.
