Stark County has nearly 400 children living in the foster care system. We have a great a need for families like yours to open their hearts and home to a child in need. We hope you will consider becoming a foster and adoptive parent! To learn more about the process, please contact Jennifer Loomis at 330-451-8789 or [email protected].
Frequently Asked Questions
Most foster children are eligible for the medical card, which covers all medical, dental, and prescription expenses. If the child in your home does not have a medical card on file, a medical authorization letter will be provided to you in case of necessary medical treatment. Any fees incurred through medical treatment will be paid for by presenting the child's medical card or medical authorization letter. Eligibility for the medical card for adopted children is decided on a case-by-case basis.
Yes. Birth parents are permitted by state law to visit their children at least twice each month. There may also be visitation established for other relatives or siblings of the children who are in your home. Visitations will occur at SCJFS or other agreed upon locations. The child's worker is responsible for arranging visitations.
You are typically permitted to take foster children on vacation with you if you provide the child's worker notice, along with an address and telephone number of where you will be. If you will be traveling out of state, you must request permission to take foster children with you at least two weeks in advance.
SCJFS maintains a policy in which no physical discipline is permitted. In addition to physical discipline, foster parents are not permitted to threaten physical discipline, threaten the removal of children from your home, or threaten limited contact between your foster children and their biological families. As a foster parent, you are also not permitted to require nonproductive, strenuous labor of children, or prohibit children from participating in family activities.
SCJFS has a grievance policy which is used to review complaints from foster caregivers, guardians, legal parents, adoptive parents and children associated with or in the custody of SCJFS.
You may be eligible for work-related daycare for foster children in your home, depending on your work schedule. Upon gaining licensure as a foster parent, you can apply for work-related daycare.