When the fighting would start, Justice Smith would sneak into her little brothers’ room to tell them everything was going to be okay.

She was only 8 then, but she knew what to do: put in a Scooby-Doo movie, turn the TV up real loud so the boys couldn’t hear their mother and her boyfriend screaming. Then Justice would crawl into the bottom bunk and hold Max, the baby, until he fell asleep.

Justice has three younger brothers, and for most of her life, she has been their mom.

When social workers took the four children away from their mother and sent them to separate foster homes, Justice was 10. Losing her little brothers, she says, was worse than losing her mother.

Now she is 13 and living in New Port Richey with a foster couple — and all of her brothers, ages 11, 9 and 6. She desperately wants to be adopted, to find a mom who will do crafts with her and a dad to play ball with her brothers. She will agree to be adopted only if all her brothers can come too.

“We went through all this together and we’re actually the only ones who can all relate to each other,” she says. “We’ll be brothers and sisters until the end of the world. Even after we’re dead, we’re still brothers and sisters.”

Justice loves super-sour candy, Hunger Games books and Twilight movies. She gets A’s and B’s in her seventh-grade classes and wants to be a writer, a nurse or maybe an actor. She grew up frightened, trying to shield her brothers from the drugs and abuse. “I know that a lot of kids are going through this,” she says. “But it’s actually pretty hard when it’s you.”

Here, she shares her story in her own words.

JUSTICE:

When we lived with our mom she couldn’t really keep up with the bills, so we kept moving constantly. We lived in trailers, normal houses and really bad houses. I think we moved around eight times.

We weren’t really hungry because our mom usually got food stamps. We had macaroni, Hamburger Helper, hot dogs; we had some frozen pizza and, like, TV dinners. She usually made it before she left.

I remember one job, she worked in Di’s Pub or something. She was a bartender, I believe. We couldn’t go there.

At night she didn’t really come in our rooms a lot to say good night. But sometimes she would, and then I would hug her a lot.

I kind of just liked it when we would be in the house and we’d be cleaning and she’d put music on loud and we’d sing and dance while we cleaned. We usually listened to hip-hop, Fergie and Taylor Swift. She sings very well. It was nice.

I was so close with my mom until she met Dave. That’s when the problems started. He’s been with her five years. I remember the one night he got angry and then she went out and he went to find her and then he pushed her into a pile of bricks. He was very violent. He broke my mom’s cheekbone.

One night they were in a fight and my mom came in my room to get us and take us in her room and she locked the door and everything, so I thought something bad must have gone on. And Dave, he was like, “Let me in this room!” And he punched a hole in the door. And then the cops were called, and the cop said if it happened again they would both go to jail.

I would take my brothers when they were fighting and, like, try to calm them down. Or keep them away from the violence. I’d put movies on. Like Scooby-Doo, Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, that was one of my favorites. I also had some Barbies. I had boy Barbies and girl Barbies and we would play with them and try to escape from that world and go to a better place.

I don’t know why, but I just felt safer when my brothers were around, because then it’s not just me trying to protect myself. It’s all four of us. I would say, like, it’s going to be okay and to calm down, because Max, he would cry. And I would sometimes feed him. He was so small, not even a year old. And he would lay there on my arm and we would watch TV together and he would just fall asleep.

Sometimes I would, like, give them baths. I didn’t really tell them to behave, because I thought that was, like, my mom’s job. ‘Cause if she didn’t want to raise them, why have the kids?

I remember one time, I was like 8, and my mom, she would be in her room doing drugs, and I would be taking care of my brothers, sort of, like making sure they’re fed and they’re clean. She was in her room, actually, a lot. Every day pretty much. I would try to keep my brothers away from the smell. I can’t really describe it but it smelled a lot worse than cigarettes.

And I remember sometimes my mom would meet up with some people and she’d get some blue pills and stuff. I don’t know what those were. I just remember not understanding, and I hate not understanding stuff.

I had to be strong for my brothers. But sometimes I thought that this would be, like, the end of my happiness. If I felt bad I’d just go in my room and cry by myself.

• • •

One day I woke up and I went to my mom’s room. She wasn’t there. And I’m like, “Dave, where’s Mom?” And he’s, like, “I don’t know.” I thought she just went to get Dunkin’ Donuts or something to just give us a treat. But after a couple of hours it was, like, 1 o’clock, and I was like, “Where’s Mom?” again. And he was like, “I don’t know.”

After a while he’s like, “She’s not back, so I’m taking you guys to your grandfather’s house.” And then my Papa Kevin called my Nana B, and my Nana B came and took me. And the boys went back with Dave.

The next day I remember my Nana B waking me up in the morning and she came in my room crying and it was super early. So I’m like, “I’m not going to school today, am I?” She didn’t answer me. She went to my closet and started picking out my clothes. And after a while I kept asking her and finally she said, “You’re going to foster care.” And I remember my heart dropped and I started crying, and she told me to get dressed and use the bathroom, and then she got me some carrot sticks and four bananas for my brothers and I to share.

And when we pulled up at Dave’s, I saw all these cops and these flashing lights, and then my Nana B said, “Give me a hug.” And I had to say goodbye. And then I went in where my brothers were, and the cop said, “Give your mom a hug and a kiss.” And when I went to give her a hug and a kiss she smelled like milk shake. Dave had thrown a milk shake at her. When I hugged her she was crying. I guess she understood more than I did.

And then Jeremy and I got to ride in a police car. That was probably the best thing that happened that day. And Randy and Max rode in another car, and they took us to that big office. I didn’t have anything except the food, carrots and bananas. I remember we ate them in the office because we were hungry. And then in the office I remember the lady was like, “You guys can each pick out one stuffed animal.” I think I got a white teddy bear. It was good because it was something to hug.

I was sad to be taken away from my mom. But I was kind of relieved to get away from the fighting and the violence and also the neglect. We weren’t getting the attention we needed, and she wasn’t actually being the parent.

We were at the office for a couple of hours just walking around with people because they were trying to find foster parents to take us. And they also gave us this bag. It had a wooden car, a blanket, a little book and a toothbrush and hairbrush. And then we all got separated.

Randy and Jeremy went in the same house. I went into a different house. And Max went somewhere else.

Then, after that, we went back with our Nana B for four months. Then she got sick. And we were placed in Sallie House. Except for Max, he was too young.

Then, after a while, we moved out of Sallie House and split up again. We were apart nine months, but we still had some visits. And we started having visits with our mom.

I remember one visit my mom said, “Get out of the house!” And it was raining and we were all crying, and I think that was our last visit. We were getting on her nerves for some reason. She locked the door. And I kept screaming, “Mommy! Mommy!” But she never opened the door. We were out there until Miss Alma came.

Mom tried to get us back. At least she tried. But the drugs just overpowered her. Drugs were more powerful than love.

Sometimes at night I think about my mom. One time I actually had a good dream about my mom. It didn’t really happen. But it was nice.

• • •

I can’t wait to get adopted. I want a family that has a mom and a dad. And definitely a dog — or any pet.

If I’m adopted it has to be we’re all together. Because we were all born and raised together. My brothers always tell me how good I am, which makes me feel better and helps me actually get through it with them. Sometimes they give me a headache. Sometimes, not all the time. Especially when they keep talking. They’re actually really awesome. They’re fun to hang out with. They’re good at video games and they’re best to play Legos with.

Max is 6. He can get angry. But he is adorable. He has those beautiful eyelashes and everything. And sometimes he writes me these notes like, “I love you!”

Randy is 9. He has big ears but they’re adorable. And he’s the best at video games and building stuff, and he’s actually really nice. He comes up to me and says, “You’re the best sister in the whole wide world!” He loves giving hugs.

Jeremy is 11. He’s funny. He’s very giving. And I love his blue eyes. He has a big heart. All of them have very big hearts. They always, like, tell me how much they love me.

I’m intelligent. I’m smart. I love to read. I’m good at drawing and writing, and I love my brothers the most in the world. We have all these different qualities that not all kids have. And when we come together, we can make the whole room light up quicker than the sun rises.

HOW TO HELP

In Pinellas and Pasco counties, more than 1,000 children are living in foster care with Eckerd Community Alternatives — and 120 are available to be adopted.

Many have been waiting for a family for years. Some of their parents died or were sent to jail; others were taken from their homes because of neglect or abuse. Many of the children live in group homes.

The Heart Gallery is a traveling exhibit that features portraits and biographies of children who want to be adopted. Some have special needs; several of them are sibling groups.

On Monday, a new group of photos will be displayed at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg featuring 46 children, including Justice and her brothers.

Families who adopt children through foster care receive monthly subsidies. Medicaid covers the child’s health care until age 18, and the child gets free tuition at any Florida state college.

If adopting isn’t an option for you, there are other ways to help. You can foster a child in your home, tutor or mentor a child, send birthday and holiday gifts, sponsor a party, pay for a child to join a sports team or take dance lessons or buy school clothes or supplies.

For more information about children who are available for adoption, call toll-free
1-866-233-0790 or visit heartgallerykids.org.

For more information about other ways to help, call toll-free
1-800-554-4357 or email aputzulu@eckerd.org.

In Hillsborough call (813) 314-2021 or visit heartgallerytampabay.org.

After nearly a year of dormancy, the Eckerd property in Boomer is alive again with trained staff counseling and teaching youths with behavioral problems.  In partnership with the N.C. Department of Public Safety’s Division of Juvenile Justice, the 600-acre Eckerd property on the western end of High Rock Road is home to a new short-term, residential, campus-style program. 

Linda Hayes, chief deputy secretary for the N.C. Division of Juvenile Justice, and Eckerd Chief Operating Officer Ron Zychowski attended an open house there today and discussed the property’s transition from an Eckerd therapeutic “wilderness camp” to the short-term, campus-style program. The wilderness program, called Camp E-Ma-Etu, operated for about 10 years before it was closed last spring after Eckerd lost a state contract for serving youths referred by the state juvenile justice system. Camp E-Ma-Etu was among Eckerd’s four remaining wilderness camps in North Carolina. All four are closed now and only two remain elsewhere—both in Florida.

In North Carolina, Clearwater, Fla.-based Eckerd transformed itself from focusing almost exclusively on serving youths in wilderness camps to a wide range of child welfare, behavioral health, and juvenile justice services.  Eckerd announced in May that the N.C. Division of Juvenile Justice had awarded it a multi-year contract for providing the new residential program in the Montgomery County town of Candor and then announced in September the award of a second the program in Boomer, celebrated today.

Officials said today that the new Eckerd program reflected increased emphasis nationwide on the importance of letting troubled youths remain with their families in their home communities as much as possible and less on long-term residential programs like the wilderness camps.

“If you treat a youth without his family, you don’t have as much success,” said Cindi Blackburn-Jones, who is program director for Eckerd’s new short-term residential service in Boomer. “We always had an emphasis on transitioning youth back to their home community, but it wasn’t as intensive or supportive as it is now.”

Ms. Blackburn-Jones said Eckerd staff have extensive interaction with parents after their children complete the new program and return home. This includes helping parents implement certain structure for youths to make the transition home as seamless and successful as possible.

The goal of the new Eckerd program, which started in Boomer early last month and in Candor in October, is to provide participating youths with complete rehabilitative experiences in three to four months.

How do wilderness camps compare to the new short-term residential service? Housed with their counselors year-round in rustic, open-sided shelters with detached bathroom facilities, camp participants stayed an average of 10 to 12 months at Camp E-Ma-Etu. The shelters had heaters in the winter.

Two of three planned “dormitories” have been completed so far, each with their own names. Each have heating and cooling systems, bathroom facilities and bunk beds for participants and their counselors. Truth Hall is currently occupied by program youth, Wisdom Hall is completed in anticipation of the next group of youths and Honor Hall is under construction.

The new program utilizes experiential education, but the wilderness camp program had more of an emphasis on experiential education and group dynamics in an outdoor setting. Like the wilderness program, the new program’s school curriculum is accredited with the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

“The new program is designed to address each youth’s behavioral challenges through a strength-based approach with evidence-based practices,” stated Eckerd literature. Services include individualized treatment and academic plans using formal and experiential education, vocational education, community service, behavioral health and family counseling in a non-punitive environment.

Specific features include a “Forward Thinking” interactive journal program, social skills and life skills training, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, community service work and individual, group and family counseling.

Camp E-Ma-Etu typically had around 60 male and female participants ages 10 to 17. When at full capacity, the new program in Boomer will be licensed for 36 youths ages 13 to 17, male only. It now has about 10 male youths receiving services.

Only adjudicated youths (youths found guilty of juvenile offenses) participate in the new program in Boomer. Although referral from a state juvenile justice official was needed in the wilderness camp program, adjudication wasn’t required.

Both level I and II offenders were accepted at Camp E-Ma-Etu, but the new program is only for level II juvenile offenders. Ms. Blackburn-Jones said a juvenile is designated a level II rather than a level I offender because of having more offenses rather than more serious ones.

Initially, youths from across the state will be accepted in the new program at Boomer, but there may be a shift to serve only youths from the region in the future.  

With the new program, said officials, Eckerd should eventually have about 40 employees on its property in Boomer.

Boomer, NC (March 21, 2012)– The Department of Public Safety Division of Juvenile Justice in partnership with Eckerd, will hold an Open House event to celebrate the new Short-Term Juvenile Justice Residential campus in Boomer.  Chief Deputy Secretary Linda Hayes and Eckerd Chief Operating Officer Ron Zychowski will join community members, lawmakers, government officials, and juvenile justice representatives in celebrating the opening of this vital resource for the community and the State.

“We are proud to partner with Eckerd in the opening of a transformational service delivery model that provides court-involved youth the proper environment to turn their lives around,” stated Chief Deputy Secretary Hayes. 

“I would like to thank the Department for their long-standing partnership with Eckerd,” added Eckerd COO Ron Zychowski. “I would also like to acknowledge Chief Deputy Secretary Hayes for her courage and leadership, which has produced an innovative shift in the way youth are served in North Carolina’s juvenile justice system.”

Eckerd’s new Short-Term Juvenile Justice Residential Campus at Boomer is a complete rehabilitative experience delivered in an average of 90 days to 36 adjudicated male youth ages 13 to 17 as referred by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety Division of Juvenile Justice.  This exciting residential treatment concept combines promising and evidence-based practices with a strong family transition component.  Intensive, short-term services include individualized treatment and academic plans that combine formal and experiential education, vocational education, community service, behavioral health, and family counseling in a non-punitive environment designed to address the youth’s behavioral challenges through a strength-based approach. Youth also receive accredited education on-site and work together in small group settings with assigned counselors.  For more information visit Eckerd.org.

Not only has Eckerd’s service delivery model changed to better meet the needs of North Carolina youth and their families, but the physical grounds of the campus at Boomer has been transformed as well. 

Boomer Open House and tours of the campus are scheduled for Friday, March 23, 2012 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. A brief program with remarks from Chief Deputy Secretary Hayes and Mr. Zychowski will begin at 11:00 am

When:           Friday, March 23, 2012 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm; remarks at 11:00 am
Where:         Eckerd, 4654 High Rock Road, Boomer, North Carolina
Contact:        April Putzulu at (727) 215-7068 or William Lassiter at (919) 743-8180

Clearwater, FL (March 21, 2012)– The Junior League of Clearwater-Dunedin, Inc. will hold their 4th Annual Foster Youth Summit and Life Skills Training to benefit dozens of Tampa Bay area foster teens who receive services and support through Eckerd and Camelot Community Care. The Summit is designed to provide foster teens the opportunity to visualize their success, become inspired and learn life’s valuable skills through hands on workshops and will be held on Saturday, March 24 from 9 am to 2 pm at the St. Petersburg College Clearwater Campus located at 2464 Drew Street in Clearwater.

In 2008, the Junior League of Clearwater-Dunedin, Inc. selected a new project focusing efforts and resources to assist foster youth and families in Pinellas and Pasco counties. In addition to sponsoring an annual summit and life skills training for foster youth, other successful foster care support initiatives of the League include apartment “starter kits” for foster youth aging out of foster care and “Done in a Day” projects to provide resources and support to foster families – just to name a few. In addition, the League has adopted the creation of a Teen Training Center as their current signature community project; the proposed Center will provide life skills, educational and vocational training to foster teens and young adults formerly in foster care in Pinellas and Pasco counties.

The League would like to acknowledge the following businesses who have generously contributed to this year’s Summit and thank them for their charitable support: YMCA of the Suncoast, St. Petersburg College, Tampa Bay Times, Publix, Mendocino Wine Company, Lagerhaus Brewery, Salon Agape, Carrie Wildes Photography, Gold and Diamond Source, Tantalizing Tans, Oh, hello!, Eckerd Raising Hope, Bank of America, Sam’s Club, and Paradise Press Printing.

For more information about the event please contact April Putzulu at 727-461-1236 x3331.

On Tuesday, March 6th, at 6:30 p.m., members of the community will have the opportunity to meet Mrs. Lorita Shirley, Executive Director of Eckerd Youth Alternatives (EYA). EYA was awarded the contract after nine children died and HKI (Hillsborough Kids Inc.,) was stripped of it. The meeting will take place at the College Hill Church of God In Christ, 6414 N. 30th Street.

This is the first of several planned community-based Child Welfare and Foster Care Community Forums. Beginning on July 1st, Mrs. Shirley and her staff at Eckerd Youth Alternatives, will replace Hillsborough Kids Inc.

“Our goal is to align the community forums with the high removal areas. I want to talk to the people and allow them to tell me their concerns. My goal is to make folks aware of the services available,” Mrs. Shirley said.

“We are committed to the children. Our kids are pulled from their homes, placed in the system, raised in foster homes and don’t connect with relatives or the community. If we don’t deal with the problem now, then just put your hands in the air when they come back to rob you as teenagers. This is our problem to solve, these are our kids, and I want to hear from the members of the community.”

Mrs. Shirley further stated that the first meetings are going to take place in the zip codes with the highest number of children removed from homes. She feels that in order to address the problem, the agency must not only be connected to the community, but it must also accept feedback from the residents on how to remove obstacles for improved performance.

In addition to working within the community, Mrs. Shirley wants to connect with the churches as well. “We believe in God and respect for all. I want to reach out to the churches. It’s time for them to step up. I’m also looking for sororities and fraternities who are looking for something to wrap your arms around. We need mentors and places that will offer temporary care for the children.

“I have a vision that every child should have the opportunity to succeed. I want to know about what is going on. I want to know if people are not being given the services they need to care for the children and any other problems they may encounter. I need to hear from you,” she said.

Elder Charles Davis, senior pastor of College Hill Church of God in Christ said, “We are not only pleased, but honored, to co-host the first of many Community Forums that Eckerd is planning over the next several months.”

Under the guidance of Elder Davis, College Hill Church of God in Christ has a long history of supporting initiatives that strengthen and support families Hillsborough families.

For more information, contact Ms. April Putzulu at (727) 461-1236 x. 3331 or visit www.eckerd.org/hillsborough.

WFLA-TV NEWS CHANNEL 8 (February 23, 2012)

Eckerd which runs foster care services in Pinellas and Pasco Counties is taking over foster care for Hillsborough County on July 1st.

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To view community calendar or to submit your feedback, please visit: Eckerd.org/Hillsborough

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Hillsborough County’s new child protector introduced herself to Tampa on Tuesday, pledging to review all active child dependency cases to ensure none have slipped through the cracks. Lorita Shirley is the executive director of Eckerd Youth Alternatives, the lead child protection agency in Pinellas County. Her agency replaces Hillsborough Kids Inc. on July 1. She appeared Tuesday at a news conference with David Wilkins, secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families. The change comes in the wake of nine deaths in the past two years of Hillsborough children whose families were under state supervision. Shirley started her child welfare career with the former Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, working in child abuse investigations and foster care. She also oversaw child welfare services for the DCF in Osceola County.