What the Pandemic Taught Us: Innovative Practice Report

Bethany Christian Services is an international child and family social services organization

with offices in more than 30 states across the U.S. and in multiple nations around the

world. Bethany offers a broad continuum of services in the U.S., including family support,

strengthening and preservation programs, foster care, private and foster care adoption,

and many more. In addition, Bethany is a leading provider of community-based services

for unaccompanied children, asylum seeking families, and resettled refugees.

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At the beginning of 2020, Bethany proclaimed the following core values:

• We are motivated by our faith

• We support one another

• We champion justice

• We pursue excellence

• We are in it for the long haul <br>

PRACTICE CHANGES RESULTING FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The events of 2020—including a global pandemic, a nationwide conversation about

systemic racism, and a contentious election—allowed us to immediately put our core

values into practice. Bethany made significant programmatic and operational changes

within three major categories, which are outlined below and will be explored in detail

throughout this report. This report summarizes findings from a mixed-methods case

study of innovations and challenges within four Bethany foster care locations: Atlanta,

Georgia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Detroit, Michigan; and Grand Rapids, Michigan. <br>

Click here to view the full report.