No matter what issues someone carries from their past, they can break the cycle. They can choose to parent with love and joy. Together we will change our community one family at a time.
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One of our greatest needs is having enough foster parents to provide homes for the children that need our help.
As the number of children who come into our care increases, the need for foster parents increases too.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Attend an information meeting - 2nd Monday of every month
- Fill out an application
- Schedule interviews with our staff both at your home and our offices
- Check for criminal and protective services history and provide personal references
- Complete foster parent training
*This is not a complete list of steps to becoming a foster parent. It takes about 6 months to be fully licensed. Email us with additional questions.
- Provide a safe, clean, loving and secure home
- Monitor the child’s schoolwork
- Coordinate with the child’s social worker for visits with the child’s parents and provide or arrange transportation to counseling appointments, if needed
- Assuring that the children in your care feel safe, secure and accepted everyday
D.A. Blodgett - St. John’s provides all the training and assessment services in order to become licensed at no charge. Licensing through the state of Michigan takes about 12 weeks and includes interviews in your home as well as criminal and protective services checks, FBI fingerprinted, other forms and references. There is also orientation and training which is required to become a foster parent. The child’s social worker is always available to answer questions and address any concerns that arise.
Training
You can view the current training schedules near the bottom of the Foster Parent Central page.
No. You may rent. Your home must be clean, safe and must always have a phone. Children of the opposite sex five years of age and older may not share a bedroom.
We accept individuals and families regardless of marital status, sexual orientation, or family structure. We have licensed families that are first-time parents and experienced parents, working parents, and stay-at-home parents. All families are welcome at DABSJ.
More Information
Foster Parent Information
Become an Enhanced Shelter Home.
Provide Short-Term Placement for Youth in Foster Care.
Right now there are youth bouncing from home to home, sometimes on a day-to-day basis, because they don't have a steady place to land while their foster care staff find a more stable placement. Sadly, some of these youth wait at the agency all day while we figure out a plan. This is why we need you!
Provide a safe, temporary home for youth 12+ for 14 to 30 days while DABSJ foster care staff prepares the youth for their next best placement.
Caregivers will get special training and support and play an integral part of the team to stabilizing the youth and preparing them for their next placement.
*Must be a licensed foster parent.
As an Enhanced Shelter Home (ESH), you will:
- Provide short-term placement for youth while their next placement is being identified.
- Collaborate with foster care workers to provide placement recommendations and service coordination.
- Receive a monthly, ongoing stipend of $245 for each ESH bed in your home.
- Receive a daily rate of $100 and agency support when a youth is placed in your home.
Become a Foster Parent for Medically Fragile Children
At D.A. Blodgett – St. John’s, we believe that all children deserve a loving family and comfortable home. We believe in giving medically fragile children in foster care, the opportunity to feel the love and support of a family.
We are looking for foster parents who
- are caring couples and singles
- love children
- want to help
- understand the medical needs of these children
Requirements to be a foster parent for medically fragile children include:
- Must complete medical training (free of charge)
- Have a smoke free home
- Pet free home
- Back-up generator
*These requirements are unique to each child so not all placements would require all things listed above.
Who are our medically fragile children?
A medically fragile child is one who is dependent on life sustaining medications, treatments or equipment and has need to 24/7 assistance due to an accident, illness, congenital disorder or abuse and neglect.
Children who are considered medically fragile may have one or more of the following:
- Feeding tube
- Need assistance with oxygen
- Have a trach
- Take meds
- Use a wheelchair
- Require lifts
- Need in home nursing care
These children also:
- Long for the love of parents
- Have dreams and passions
- Deserve the love and warmth of a family
Foster Care Stories
Upcoming Orientations
There are no events at this time.
Financial
Reimbursement
Foster parents receive monthly payments for each child, based on a daily rate of reimbursement established by the Department of Human Services. These payments cover the cost of providing room and board, clothing and the child’s allowance. Medical coverage is provided through Medicaid or through the legal family’s insurance. The Department of Human Services also has day care funding available for foster parents who work outside the home. Medical, dental and psychological services are provided on site at D.A. Blodgett - St. John’s through our agency medical clinic. We also have a part time nurse on staff to assist with appointments and medical questions.