Hillsborough Kids, Inc. (HKI) oversees the care of approximately 3,200 children and teens in Hillsborough County due to abuse or neglect. HKI’s mission is to keep kids safe while strengthening families.

Funded primarily through Florida’s Department of Children and Families, HKI is the lead agency managing child welfare in Hillsborough County. HKI’s Community-Based Care network of partner agencies provide:

• Child abuse prevention
• Family crisis intervention and preservation – providing short-term services for families to assist with keeping families intact.
• Diversion services – in coordination with Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Child Protection Investigation Department – to avoid unnecessarily removing children from their home and helping to preserve families.
• Independent living guidance for teens in foster care and those aging-out of child welfare.
• Supervision, keeping children in a safe and stable environment.
• Case management – Dependency court supervision.
• Foster and residential care management.
• Adoption placement.
• Foster parent and adoption recruitment and training.

Recent Successes

Diversion services are working
Collaboration between HKI and Hillsborough County Child Protection Investigators has significantly reduced the number of children entering the child welfare system in Hillsborough County.

• Children in HKI's care decreased by 44%, (996 children) compared to 2006 (1775 children).
• HKI supervises approximately 3,200 children – the lowest ever!

Adoptions increase dramatically
In 2006/2007 fiscal year, 422 adoptions were completed in Hillsborough County – an increase from 375 the previous year.

Opportunities to help children

• Become a foster or adoptive parent
• Assist foster parents as a respite caregiver
• Mentor a child or teen
• Volunteer for events and activities for foster children and teens.