Foster families needed

May is Foster Care Month, and Kristie Collins, the foster care coordinator with the Department of Family Services (DFS), said there are 13 or 14 homes that provide foster care in Thermopolis.

"That sounds like we have plenty," Collins said, but there is definitely a need for more. She further explained there are children, some who have histories of trauma or have behavior issues, and foster families get full. "We have really great foster homes in our area that are always willing to take kids but sometimes they get full."

In Wyoming, there is not a space requirement necessarily for taking in foster kids, Collins said, but there is a basic home inspection. Kids, particularly those who are siblings, may want to share rooms. If a person has their own children, they can also share rooms with foster kids, though there are set rules regarding age and gender.

Also taken into account is whether a potential foster parent is able to meet the needs of the children, particularly those with special needs. Collins said she also listens to what the foster parents want. "Some people really love to have big families, but for some one or two is plenty."

If a home goes over five children - including both foster and a person's own biological children - approval is needed from the DFS district manager.

Foster children are covered by Medicaid, which covers things like eye or dental appointments, physical doctoring and counseling. Foster parents also receive a monetary reimbursement. Collins said there is a perception the people take in foster children to "get rich," which is untrue, but hopefully the reimbursement means a foster parent isn't spending much of his or her own money to meet the needs of the foster children.

The first step in becoming a foster home is to call Collins to visit more about the requirements. There is also a home study and Parents Resource Information Development Education (PRIDE) pre-service training, which is required by all foster parents. Collins noted the training is a bit of a time commitment, but provides plenty of information.

"The nice thing for parents," Collins said, "is they get to say who comes into their home" when it comes to foster kids and they can give their preferences to DFS. It is not held against the parents if they can't accommodate a child at a particular time.

With most kids, the biological parents of children in foster care have their parental rights, and DFS works to get those kids back home to their biological parents. "That can be a little intimidating to people, but that also goes on the parents' desire as well as the safety of the children." Foster parents never have to supervise visits with biological parents, as they are typically done at DFS, but can support the biological parents in other ways such as helping with their goals.

"A lot of times biological parents really come to appreciate the foster parents and all they do for their kids," Collins said. "And that relationship grows into almost a mentorship, which is really awesome to see." Around 60-80 percent of foster kids reunite with their biological families. Collins said normally kids always want to go back with their parents, but that doesn't mean they lose the relationship with the foster parents.

As in prior years, the Governor is making a proclamation for Foster Care Appreciation on May 21 at 2 p.m. For more information about becoming a foster parent, contact Collins at 307-548-6503.