Month: September 2026

A Safe Place to Start Over

After years of abuse, instability, and feeling hopeless, Natalie made the courageous decision to seek safety.

With support from ACH, she is now building the future she thought was out of reach.

A Childhood Marked by Trauma

Natalie had a tumultuous childhood. A car accident resulted in more than five surgeries for significant facial trauma. She was dyslexic. At just 8 years old, an investigation of child abuse led to a court order removing her from the care of her parents.

She was placed with her grandmother, but grandma would always take her back to her abusive dad. When she couldn’t take it anymore, she ran away.

Life Changing Support

She knew Safe Place was somewhere she could go and feel safe. Safe Place is a nationwide program that ACH administers locally at more than 250 locations in Tarrant County.

Once there, she was taken to ACH’s Pat O’Neal Youth Emergency Shelter and immediately received food, clothing, a medical screening, and therapy. At the Fort Worth Independent School District Charter School in the Shelter, she continued her high school classes and for the first time, got the help she needed for her dyslexia.

Moving Forward

The Shelter serves ages 10-17 and in March Natalie turned 18—the age when youth “age out” of foster care. The Shelter staff told her about ACH’s LIFE Project, a supervised independent living program for young adults ages 18 to 21. Now in LIFE, she continues to receive therapy to overcome years of abuse. She’s finishing high school and working on getting a job and is now on a good path to becoming self-sufficient.

About Safe Place

Safe Place is a locally-administered, national program that provides access to immediate help and safety for young people who are runaways, homeless, experience human/sex/labor trafficking, etc. In Tarrant County, this critical community safety net makes it possible for youth to get help fast at locations that display the distinctive yellow and black sign. 

Safe Place sites are developed in partnership with business and community locations that are easily accessible. Some current partnerships include QuikTrip, all Fort Worth Fire Departments, Trinity Metro, Community Centers, and The Underground.

A Forever Home for Olivia

With ACH by their side, the Deckert's path to parenthood led them to the daughter they had always been waiting for.

Ben and Melinda Deckert adopted their daughter, Olivia, through ACH Child and Family Services.

For years, Ben and Melinda Deckert imagined what family life might look like. They pictured bedtime routines, holiday traditions, and everyday moments shared with a child of their own. What they couldn’t picture was how long the journey would take.

Melinda remembers, “You feel like you’re missing someone who is already part of you.” 

Their path to parenthood included infertility treatments, adoption paperwork, training classes, home studies, and long stretches of waiting without clear answers. By the time they connected with ACH’s Adoption program, Ben and Melinda were discouraged after difficult experiences with other agencies. They wondered what would come next.

Intentionality is Key

What they found at ACH was a team that responded quickly, communicated openly, and made them feel seen. The personal connection is intentional and is what ACH strives for.

ACH Case Manager Lizbeth Bryant says the heart of her work is helping children find permanence and belonging. Instead of helping families find a child of their own, she puts the child’s needs first. “I’m helping children who need to find a forever home,” she says.

The Deckerts were hoping to adopt a baby, which can take longer than adopting an older child. While they worked through the adoption process with Lizbeth by their side, months turned into years, which was tough on Melinda and Ben. Lizbeth assured them that they had filled out the paperwork correctly and adopting a baby simply takes time.

Behind the scenes, ACH was continually evaluating opportunities, building relationships, and looking for the right match. The trust that developed between the family and their caseworker became one of the foundations of the journey.

Then came the call that changed everything. A little girl named Olivia had become available for adoption. “The journey was absolutely worth it,” she says. “It led us to her.”

Love That Endures

Olivia quickly became the center of a home that had been prepared for her long before she arrived. Today, she loves baking cookies with her mom, going on adventures with her dad, and making friends wherever she goes. She keeps everyone laughing with her larger-than-life personality. 

For Lizbeth, seeing stories like Olivia’s come full circle never gets old. After years of walking along patiently waiting families, she knows what it means when a child finally finds the right place to belong.

The Deckerts spent years wondering when their family would finally come together. Turns out, the journey wasn’t defined by the waiting. It was defined by who led it, and who it led to.

About Foster Care & Adoption

Foster Care & Adoption provides safe, stable, and nurturing family homes for children and youth who are unable to remain with their biological families. Services include foster care placement and support for children with emotional, behavioral, or specialized needs, as well as adoption services that guide and support families through the adoption process and beyond finalization through post-adoption resources and referrals.

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