For the past year, the number of children in the Casa de los Niños shelter has decreased significantly, and the child and family welfare organization is closing its emergency shelter.
Casa de los Niños has served the Tucson community since 1973.
The facility, which has a max capacity of 45, is currently housing only two children, said CEO Susie Huhn.
She said the reason for the decrease is that fewer kids are in the Department of Child Safety system and increasingly kids who need to be removed from their homes are placed directly in foster families rather than in shelters.
Huhn said Casa de los Niños is shifting its focus to improve its foster care home network and provide better support for kinship families who take in their grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Efforts will also focus on solving problems in families before situations escalate.
"We are serving more children and families outside the shelter, and will now use that space on campus even more effectively to help families," said Huhn.
Officials said they are working with shelter staff to find them different jobs in Casa de los Niños or with partner organizations.
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