Tampa Bay, Fla., – August 31, 2017 – The Florida Coalition for Children (FCC) has awarded Larry Cooper, Chief of Prevention and Intervention Services at the Children’s Home Network, 2017 Social Worker of the Year.
The Florida Coalition for Children is an advocate for Florida’s abused, abandoned, neglected, and at-risk children, by supporting the agencies and individuals who work on their behalf. Each year, the FCC recognizes exemplary recipients at their annual awards celebration who demonstrate hard work, dedication, compassion and a tireless commitment to ensure the well-being of Florida’s youth who need it most.
The 2017 Social Worker of the Year award recipient, Larry Cooper, MSW, LCSW has supervised the Kinship prevention and early intervention program in Hillsborough County, since 2001, and continues today. In addition, Mr. Cooper expanded the program into Pinellas, Pasco, Osceola, Seminole and Orange counties; and recently directed a federally funded Kinship Navigation grant (KIN-TECH project of 2012-2015), one of only seven awarded nationally from The Children’s Bureau under the 2008 Foster Connections legislation.
As Chief of Prevention and Intervention Services, Mr. Cooper leads the network of community based services that strengthen families including 3 Family Resource Centers, the Healthy Families Program, SEEDS (a case management program for children under the age of 8 with developmental needs), and home based counseling and tutoring. In 2016, he was awarded the National Association of Social Workers, Tampa Bay Unit “Social Worker of the Year” Award.
###
About Children’s Home Network
The Children’s Home Network is a 501 (C)(3) not-for-profit organization that unlocks the potential of nearly 25,000 at-risk children and families by providing compassionate and effective services that create opportunities for success in the Central Florida region. For more information about the Children’s Home Network, visit www.childrenshomenetwork.org