Destiny came to FCC in January of 2021 as the Treatment Foster Care Social Worker after making a career shift into social work. She has assisted with several programs including Respite, Day Treatment, Safe Visitation, and Independent Living, however, Destiny’s main roles include serving as the social worker for Treatment Foster Care and Host Homes.
Destiny’s day usually starts with a large mug of coffee while she catches up on emails. There is always a steady stream of referrals for foster children needing homes, which Destiny screens to determine if one of her Treatment Foster homes would be a good fit for the child. If the child sounds like they would fit well in one of her homes, Destiny contacts the home to discuss the child and coordinates with the referring agency to answer questions and develop a plan for placement in a home, which involves a lot of paperwork and planning.
Another type of referral that Destiny might receive would be for homeless youth who are interested in the Host Homes program. Destiny first reaches out to the referral source, often a school staff member, and the youth to learn more about their situation and again, determine whether there is an available home that would be a good fit for them. Destiny describes each youth to Host Home volunteers and arranges for a “meet and greet” between them to see if they both want to move forward. If so, all parties will establish and agree upon expectations for the youth’s stay in the Host Home.
For youth placed in a Host Home or a Treatment Foster Home, Destiny conducts regular home visits to work on their goals and provide support to the providers. Besides home visits, her day also involves coordinating with other community resources based on the needs of the youth on her caseload. This might include meeting with the school team or connecting with behavioral health providers, among others. Every kid is unique, so the approach to each is equally unique.
Throughout the day, Destiny is also often working on certification and licensing for Host Homes and Treatment Foster homes. Treatment Foster Care is regulated by the state, and as such, requires a great deal of work to ensure that a home would be a safe and suitable place for kids. This includes running background checks, contacting references, conducting home studies, and writing reports detailing a family interested in providing foster care. Once all of these requirements are met, paperwork is submitted to the state to approve a license. Host Homes is a program created in house by Family & Children’s Center itself. As a result, the program offers more flexibility in meeting the needs of our local community. Still, much of the certification process has been modeled after Treatment Foster Care, including thorough background checks, interviews, and home safety assessments. The difference is that a home doesn’t need to be approved by the state and can begin providing care as soon as requirements have been completed.
Both Treatment Foster Care and Host Home providers need to complete training to best prepare them to support the youth they welcome into their homes, so Destiny is often leading training and support groups for both sets of providers.
At the end of the day, Destiny makes a list of the next day’s tasks and wraps up any remaining emails before clocking out and heading to pick up her 4 ½ month old daughter, Bristol, from daycare. Destiny gets home around 5pm and takes a walk with her husband, Jeff, Bristol, and their yellow lab, Cali. Usually, their cat, Copper, attempts to sneak out the door with them, but he never gets too far! After the nightly walk, one of them cooks dinner while the other plays with Bristol. Afterwards, there is some time for the Ziel family to spend together out on the porch or in the backyard before Bristol needs to get ready for bed at 7pm. She usually falls asleep by 7:30pm, and mom and dad are in bed by 8:30pm.
Baby Bristol Rose |
Copper (the jail-break cat) and Cali the dog.
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In their free time, the Ziel’s love to spend time outdoors, particularly swimming and hiking, go to breweries, and travel. In the last year, they have traveled to Tulum, Mexico and New York City. Since having a baby this year, they are keeping travel local and are planning to visit Duluth, MN for their first vacation with Bristol in a few weeks.
Destiny’s family at Bodega before our wedding: Left to right: Destiny’s mom, Jean; her little brother, Emery; Destiny, and her dad, John.
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Destiny’s husband’s family: Left to right: Jeff’s brother, Nick; their sister-in-law, Anne, holding their daughter, Ivy; Jeff’s dad, Bob; Jeff’s mom, Rose; Destiny holding Bristol, and Jeff. (Soon to have a baby boy cousin as Anne is due any day now!)
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