The number of children in need of foster care continues to grow and it’s important to have enough foster parents to meet this need. Current foster families often reach the state’s maximum capacity and are unable to take in additional children. 

By having more foster families, we can keep siblings together and more effectively match children to homes that best meet their unique needs. Additionally, increasing the number of foster families in different areas allows children to be placed closer to their communities, schools, friends, and role models.

Therapeutic Foster Care is a specialized type of foster care designed for children with emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges. Foster parents within this program receive comprehensive training and work closely with our team to provide children with the  care and support they need. The goal is to help the child heal and grow in a safe and stable environment while preparing them for a successful future.

Foster parents provide a stable, loving, and usually temporary home for children who have been removed from their families due to abuse, neglect, or other unsafe conditions. As part of a team that includes social workers, healthcare providers, and other professionals, foster parents play a key role in helping children work toward a safe and stable future such as reunification with their birth families, placement with relatives, adoption or establishing independence as a young adult.

We license foster parents from a wide range of life experiences, cultures, and perspectives ensuring that children are placed in homes where they feel understood and supported. The minimum standards that a home must meet in order to become a licensed therapeutic foster home with Adult & Child are as follows: 

• Foster parents must be at least 25 years of age and must be able to financially support themselves without public assistance.
• All residents of the household, age 18 and older, must pass local, state, and national criminal background checks.
• All household members must have clear Child Protective Services checks.
• Foster parents must have reliable and insured transportation, as well as a valid driver’s license.
• The foster home must have sufficient bedroom space.

Adult and Child Health covers a majority of the licensing costs, including training, the home study, and most background checks. Potential foster parents are responsible for the cost of the health screening for all household members and may incur a minimal charge for local background checks.

Applying for a license typically take 2-3 months; however, this can vary based on the applicants’ level of engagement throughout the process.

Our goal is to ensure a smooth transition for every child into a loving and supportive home. We use a specialized process to carefully match your home with a child whose needs and personality are the best fit for your family’s strengths. Once matched, our team provides ongoing support to both the child and your family to make sure you have the resources and guidance needed to thrive together. 

Children in foster care are unique individuals, each with their own personalities, backgrounds, and interests. Many have experienced difficult situations that can affect how they think, feel, and behave. These experiences often lead foster children to enter “survival mode,” which means they may need extra care and patience to build trust and help them feel safe. With understanding and a nurturing environment, you can make a meaningful difference in their healing and growth.

Children react differently to changes, depending on their age, sensitivity, resilience, and needs. Some may adjust quickly to a new child in the home, while others may need more time. Family integration is covered in the training to help manage these adjustments.