After a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19, reunited families were able to celebrate the annual Family Reunification Day in person on Saturday. Hugs, laughs and smiles filled up the room at the City of Grace Church in Mesa.
The event aims to highlight the thousands of Arizona families who have achieved permanency after overcoming the challenges that caused their families to be separated. Permanency is the outcome of a dependency case where a parent is able to gain a family relationship that is legally recognized, according to the Juvenile Law Center.
As part of the process to gain back permanency, parents have taken classes, underwent testing for substance abuse when applicable and worked with caseworkers and parent allies.
Former lawyer, judge and commissioner Colleen McNally said during the introduction of the rally that Saturday’s event was the biggest Family Reunification Day since it began in 2014.
Throughout the event, several families gathered together with food provided as they watched a children-led dance troupe. Parents were also able to play and connect with their children in carnival games.
In addition to families facing their own personal challenges, officials in the Maricopa County juvenile court system try to acknowledge that reunifying families also often face negative stereotypes related to having their children removed from the home in the first place.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Lori Bustamante, who has been involved in many of the permanency decisions, was able to experience the Rally for Reunification in person for the first time on Saturday.
“It’s so cool to be able to celebrate so many families who have worked so hard to get to this point,” Bustamante said. “When we are able to see families unify and work so hard to get to that point, it means everything to us as judicial officers.
“It’s so great to be able to see the families together and to be able to make memories and to ensure that that bond they have continues,” Bustamante added.
Bustamante said she attributes the communities’ outreach, the Arizona Department of Child Safety and Gov. Katie Hobbs’ support for helping to put the Rally to Reunify celebration together.
Reuniting with their children has been a long journey for these parents, Bustamante said, as they previously lost custody of their children to foster care due to a variety of issues that caused them to be considered legally unsafe to have custody of their children.
“It was difficult to first admit that you need help, and then accepting the help,” 33-year-old Caitlin Long said.
Long recently reunited with her 2-year-old son, Mason McAfee.
“It’s kind of difficult to do it at first, but throughout the whole process, you get more comfortable with it and it turns out for the best, the services help you in the end and you become better parents for your children,” Long said.
“Celebrating family reunification (is) an awesome thing to celebrate,” Long added. “It’s something that we need to recognize as parents that we’ve accomplished something. (It’s) a little bit more than a pat on the back, I think it’s a great event to have to support families and encourage them to continue on.”
Mason’s father, Michael McAfee, 53, viewed the process not only as a way to overcome his challenges but also to shine a light on the idea of knowing his capability of leaping the hurdle in order to reunite with his son.
“It’s recognition that we’ve overcome what got us in the situation,” Michael McAfee said. “It’s a feeling of accomplishment.”
