MCH Family Outreach expands to new communities

Program Administrator Traci Wagner, Intake Coordinator Julius McCarter,
and Director of Transition Services Christina Gerhardt attended the
Fort Hood Howdy in Killeen to promote the new MCH office location.

MCH Family Outreach services will be available to more families in need with the addition of offices serving Killeen and Bryan/College Station, Texas, and Las Cruces, N. M. The Killeen and Las Cruces locations are set to open in late spring 2016 while the Bryan office is expected to open this summer.

Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) decided to expand to these cities after determining a need for our services in the communities as well as strong partnerships available in the area. Killeen also offered an opportunity to serve military families, while Las Cruces will allow MCH to double its presence and impact in New Mexico.

Kelly Smith, program administrator for the western region of MCH Family Outreach, is leading the effort to open the Las Cruces location. The office will be located at 230 S. Alameda Street in the Western Heritage Bank building. Smith said work will begin immediately in the community after a director is hired. Staff will include a director, administrative secretary and case manager to offer Grandparents As Parents Program (GAPP), parent education and in-home services through the Family Solutions program.

“The idea to expand to Las Cruces began with the desire to increase the number of families and children we could serve in New Mexico,” Smith said. “Social services in New Mexico are typically tied to state contracts or grant funding, and we believed we could provide quality services and contribute to the community without taking away from what is already being done. We are very excited to be joining the Las Cruces community.”

The Killeen office will be located at 3202 WS Young Drive, Suite 104, in Killeen. The office will consist of a director, support staff and two case managers to offer GAPP and parent education followed by the Family Solutions program.

For the Bryan location, MCH board member Tom Wilkinson assisted with securing a location and getting MCH connected to the community. This office will be led by a director who will also oversee support staff and two case managers.

“These two communities are excited that MCH is coming and I am honored to be a part of the groundwork to set up services in two new locations,” said Traci Wagner, program administrator for the eastern region. “Executive leadership and other departments within MCH, as well as the board, have been supportive and instrumental in moving these plans forward. I believe MCH will thrive in these areas and will be proud to serve families and bring our ministry there.”