That's fantastic! You can start your online application today by clicking the Apply button right above this question. If you have any questions, let us know your city or zip code and email address, and your nearest GOBHI Foster Care representative will touch base with you soon to talk over next steps. You can also learn more in our monthly Info Sessions on the first Tuesday of every month from 5:30 to 7pm Pacific Time—check our Info Sessions page for details.

Yes, you can be a single provider! We will work with you to determine that you have sufficient supports in place and that child care issues are addressed.

Yes, you can! Let us know your specific situation and we would be happy to chat with you about how that might work and the support you might need.

Relief care (or respite care, or part-time foster care) is opening up your home to foster youth on a temporary basis, usually just a day or two at a time. This supports full-time foster parents, allowing them time off when they need it and helping Oregon's foster youth continue to receive the support and safety they need to grow and thrive. Relief parents can also provide care for a kid who is waiting for a local agency to find a longer-term home. It's a lower time commitment, but a vital part of supporting both foster youth and full-time foster parents. GOBHI full-time foster parents are provided with 2 paid days off every month, which is where relief homes come in!

You cannot be certified with both GOBHI and DHS at the same time. However, it is possible to switch from DHS to GOBHI. If you're interested in therapeutic foster care, let us know your specific situation! We would be happy to chat with you about your options moving forward.

Yes, GOBHI homes have no more than two therapeutic foster youth in a certified home, and no more than five children total.

No, foster parents are not responsible for medical or dental expenses. Each child is eligible for medicaid, has private insurance, or a combination that covers most expenses.

You can expect to complete 39 hours of training prior to certification and a youth being placed in your home. Our training program includes individual, group, and online opportunities for learning, with topics that include: ▶ Collaborative Problem Solving® ▶ Introduction ▶ 8 week parent training course ▶ 3 day Tier 1 training ▶ Non-Violent Crisis Intervention ▶ Overview of program policy, procedures, and expectations > Mandatory reporting of child abuse > Medication administration > Suicide prevention > Culutrally-specific training ▶ Youth-specific therapeutic intervention trainings

The youth in our program are typically referred to us by the DHS Child Welfare System, or are being supported by their local Community Mental Health Program. GOBHI has the resources for individualized care with more frequent check-ins, as well as more specific training for foster parents and 24/7 on-call support. We also have a reserve of Relief Care foster homes that allow our foster parents 2 paid days off every month, as well as higher compensation for the higher commitment of therapeutic foster care.

First of all, congratulations on beginning this journey and it's an honor to help guide you through this decision-making process. Opening your home to a foster youth can be both incredibly rewarding and incredibly challenging, and is not to be undertaken lightly! The thoughtful approach you're taking is a great sign. (Just wanted to take a second to validate that.) The best way to prepare is to get lots of perspective on what you would be committing to. You can do this by participating in our monthly info sessions and connecting with other foster parents in both traditional and therapeutic foster care to learn what their experiences have been like.

No, you can rent your house or apartment. What we do ask is that you have an extra bedroom available for a foster youth to have their own dedicated space while in your care.

We have a year-round donation page, and you can find that link to more info at the very top of every page on this site. Community donations allow us to make creative solutions and expand our efforts in ways that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. Your tax-deductible gift today can improve the lives of some of our most vulnerable Oregonians!

Yes, you do not have to work from home or be a stay-at-home foster parent in order to foster, provided there is a child care plan in place.

We can't, but another of GOBHI's programs, Oregon Kinship Navigator, has tons of resources and would be happy to provide you with guidance and resources. OKN helps grandparents and other relative caregivers find answers to your questions, discover resources to support you in raising your relative child, and provide opportunities for peer-to-peer connection. Services are available in both English and Spanish. Call 833-201-5557 or visit oregonkinshipnavigator.org for more information.

Yes, foster parents receive a substantial stipend per child each month. This money is to be used to help support the families in caring for the youth, provided that they are able to meet financial obligations prior to being approved as foster parents. GOBHI foster parents can receive up to $3700 monthly in financial assistance for each youth.

When a foster youth needs a little extra help and structure to strengthen their emotional, behavioral, or social skills, they are referred to programs like GOBHI's for therapeutic foster care (as opposed to residential treatment or cycling through multiple homes in traditional foster care). The idea is to provide a safe and nurturing environment, same as traditional foster care, but with foster parents who have received additional training in the areas where the youth in their charge needs more support due to past trauma, abuse, or neglect. Because the intent of therapeutic foster care is reintegration into traditional foster care, or a return to the youth's biological family whenever possible, placements are short term and typically last around 6 to 24 months at a time. Placements are usually done one youth at a time to allow for focused, personalized attention, and we work as a team towards meeting a youth's specific goals. We use a Collaborative Problem Solving® approach here at GOBHI, meaning we believe that kids do well if they can. Our foster families provide consistent reinforcement of each youth's personal strengths and skill development for building healthy relationships, with weekly check-ins with a Regional Child Placing Coordinator (RCPC). To support the foster parents, we also provide ongoing training, 2 paid days off every month, and 24/7 on-call support.

The amount of time required to complete this process varies from family to family. There are several steps that must be completed prior to approval, including: an application review, criminal background check, home study, home safety assessment, and training requirements.