DHW Voice
Latest Post
Saving Lives: Gene and Sandy celebrate a lifetime of accepting youth into their home
For 12 years, Gene and Sandy tried to have a child. Gene worked as a pastor in Jerome, and she taught special education. They seemed destined to raise children in a loving, stable home, but it didn’t happen. They grew frustrated and burdened with all that love and no child to give it to. They prayed on it.“Some people know why they're on the planet,” Gene said. “My wife is on the
Older Posts
Older Posts
For Matthew and his wife, fostering isn’t just something they do—it’s a calling. Guided by their faith, the couple has opened their home to more than 35 children since
The new foster parent handbook, A Guide to Fostering in Idaho: Nurturing Kids, Building Families, was recently mailed to Idaho foster families. Designed for both
For children in foster care, the effects of instability, stress, and trauma can be overwhelming. Fly fishing is emerging as a therapeutic tool, offering kids a chance
When a child is removed from their home for their own safety and placed with foster parents, everything they’ve known is disrupted. They have new rooms, live with new
Idaho Gov. Brad Little kicked off the 2025 Legislative Session on Monday, Jan. 6, addressing lawmakers in a State of the State address and making a budget
Foster parents in Idaho are experiencing a growing sense of support, according to the 2024 Idaho Resource Parent Survey.This annual survey, which has been measuring
This December, I had the honor of signing adoptions for 30 Idaho kids, ensuring that they’re receiving the gift of safe, permanent, loving families for the holidays.
When a teenage boy had nowhere else to turn, he turned to his friends, hoping one of their families might take him in. One family did, opening their home and hearts to
Since starting my job as director of the Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) in June, I’ve signed 95 adoption papers for children being adopted from foster care into new families and waived adoption fees to help make adoption through the department easier.Signing adoptions is
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) has introduced a new Continuum of Care Bureau to enhance support for youth and families in the state’s foster care system. Its goal is to ensure that congregate care placements are appropriate while optimizing the use of funding
Treasure Valley resident Shane Hanson has been providing for kids in foster care for more than a decade, but he just became a foster father for the first time this