When a child enters foster care, the difference between hope and hardship often comes down to one thing: whether a foster family is available to provide a safe and loving home.

The Department of Health and Welfare (DHW), alongside dedicated nonprofits, community leaders, and foster care advocates, is working hard to increase the number of foster families in Idaho and reduce the number of children who need care. DHW’s goals aren’t just about numbers—they’re about building a system where foster families feel supported, children feel safe, and the community plays a role in making a difference.

This week, two important Treasure Valley events will shine a spotlight on foster care. Whether you’re a foster parent, an advocate, or simply someone who cares about children in need, your presence at these events can help bring awareness, spark change, and inspire new families to step forward.

So mark your calendar:

• Wednesday, Feb. 26, 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. – Foster Care Awareness Day at the Capitol
• Sunday, March 2, 4-7 p.m. – Foster Care Festival at Maker Shop Boise

Foster Care Awareness Day at Idaho Capitol

Every year, lawmakers make decisions that impact foster children and families—but they can’t do it in isolation. They need to hear from those who have lived it, those who have fostered, and those who are working daily to make the system better.

That’s what Foster Care Awareness Day at the Capitol is all about. Foster care alumni, parents, advocates, and providers from across Idaho will gather to educate legislators, share personal experiences, and discuss solutions to better serve foster youth.

One of the most powerful moments of the day will be the signing of a Foster Care Awareness Proclamation by the Governor. This public recognition sends a strong message: Idaho is committed to improving foster care and supporting the families who step up.

Foster Care Festival this Sunday

For every heartbreaking challenge in foster care, there’s also a story of resilience, love, and community stepping up. That’s what the Foster Care Festival is about—a celebration of the foster families who make a difference and an invitation for more people to get involved.

This free, family-friendly event is a great way to connect with the foster care community, learn how you can help, and enjoy a fun evening with food, activities, and giveaways.

DHW Director Alex Adams will share insights into the state’s efforts to recruit and support more foster families and improve outcomes for children in care.

Why these events matter

Every child deserves to be safe, loved, and supported. But the reality is, there aren’t enough foster families to meet the need. Events like Foster Care Awareness Day at the Capitol and the Foster Care Festival aren’t just gatherings—they are moments of action, opportunities for education, and stepping stones toward a better foster care system.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.
 

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 2018, offering stability, love, and hope to youth in need.

As a pastor in the Treasure Valley, Matthew believes that fostering is an extension of his ministry, a way to live out his faith through action. (Watch a short video version of Matthew's story here.)

“My faith is integral to everything in my life,” said Matthew, who has worked as a pastor in Washington state and Idaho. “The Lord began to break our hearts (his and his wife’s) for foster care. It was challenging for me, too heartbreaking. It’s easy for the kids to think of themselves as people without any hope.”

Hope is something that can be nurtured and passed on through family. Over the years, from Washington to Idaho, Matthew and his wife have now fostered more than 35 youth, including nine long-term placements of a year or more. They also have three biological children aged 15, 17, and 19.

“I saw my kids become more grateful for the things that they have and the family that they have, but I also saw them give of themselves,” Matthew said. “I saw them lovingly and gently wrap their arms around these kids who had come from a hard place.”

Some of the toughest placements have arrive during the holidays—like the children who showed up on Christmas Eve and stayed for 15 months before eventually returning home. But that’s the point, Matthew said. It’s to reunify families, to give parents time to sort things out and to help youth prepare to go home.

“The very best situation for kids is to reunite them with their families of origin,” Matthew said. “Their financial situation is irrelevant. As long as it’s a safe situation with the kid, it’s best to be with their biological family.”

Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. Not all foster youth can go home. A 15-year-old young man who is with the family now came to them at age 12. His situation was untenable. Parental rights were terminated, and Matthew’s family filed paperwork to become adoptive parents.

On the other hand, many of Matthew’s long-term placements thought they’d never reunite with their parents, but most eventually did. The doubt, fear, and brokenness may not have completely healed, but the youth usually went home stronger than when they’d landed in foster care.

“The kids are only part of the story,” Matthew said. “There’s a whole family, a community. They still love their children. You’ve got to push judgement out of the way. It doesn’t make you better than them; it just means you’re at a different point in life.”

Yet, with every placement, every goodbye, and every reunion—whether joyful or painful—Matthew and his family have learned that love is always worth the risk.

“Don’t worry about getting your heart broken,” he said. “Your heart’s going to get broken anyway. So might as well do it while loving some kids along the way.”

If you’re interested in becoming a foster parent, please call 2-1-1 or 800-926-2588, or visit DHW's foster care page for more information. Your willingness to open your home can make a profound difference in a child’s life.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

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 new and experienced foster parents, the handbook serves as a guide and a support system, addressing many of the questions and challenges foster families encounter.

The handbooks were mailed to foster parents late last week. They’re divided into three sections: Information Sharing, Training, and Support.

• Information Sharing outlines the types of information foster parents can expect to receive and how to access that information to advocate effectively for the children in their care.
• Training highlights safety information and introduces training options available to resource parents.
• Support provides practical problem-solving tools and emotional encouragement to help ensure foster parents have the resources needed to successfully navigate the complexities of foster care.

In addition to printed copies for foster families, local resource peer mentors and support organizations will use the handbook as a tool for training and onboarding new foster families. By incorporating real-life scenarios and practical advice, the handbook aims to bridge the gap between policy and day-to-day parenting challenges.

Foster parents who have already received the handbook have expressed appreciation for its straightforward guidance and accessibility. Some have noted that having all key information in one place makes it easier to navigate the complexities of foster care and advocate effectively for the children in their homes.

The handbook was developed in response to feedback from foster parents and was a collaborative effort involving the department, foster parents, Guardians ad Litem (GALs), resource peer mentors, trainers, and community partners. Each group had one or more representatives instrumental in the development and review of the handbook.

Special thanks go to the Casey Foundation, which generously funded the printing of this first publication. The handbook has also been published online and is available to the general public at DHW’s website.

DHW anticipates updating and republishing the handbook annually.

If you’re interested in becoming a foster parent, please call 2-1-1 or 800-926-2588, or visit DHW's foster care page for more information. Your willingness to open your home can make a profound difference in a child’s life.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

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 to escape their worries, build confidence, and experience the calming effects of nature. 

The Department of Health and Welfare is reinforcing this approach in 2025 by providing free fishing licenses to youth in extended foster care. The program is also paving the way for a new partnership with The Mayfly Project, a national nonprofit that has established a track record of success in using fly fishing to mentor and support children in foster care.

About fly fishing as therapy

Kaitlin Barnhart, co-founder and national program director of The Mayfly Project, believes DHW’s initiative is a step in the right direction.

“We’re proof of how what DHW is doing is important,” Barnhart said. “Fly fishing creates so many mental health benefits.”

Barnhart’s background working in the foster care system led her to fly fishing as a way to decompress. She quickly realized how beneficial the sport was, not just for herself, but for the children she worked with. She began taking foster youth fishing and saw immediate positive changes.

“It gives kids a chance to take a break and just be kids on the river,” she said. “There’s a decompression we often see when we get them on the water—they become a different kid almost immediately.”

Barnhart pointed out that some doctors now prescribe fly fishing for people with PTSD due to the rhythmic, meditative nature of casting. The simple act of casting can be beneficial for children, particularly those in foster care who may struggle with learning disabilities, ADHD, or other effects of trauma.

“Our project is designed to help kids feel successful,” Barnhart added. “It also helps develop self-esteem.”

Free fishing licenses for youth in extended foster care

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission recently approved a program that will provide free fishing licenses to youth in extended foster care and one foster parent per household in 2025. This initiative is a collaborative effort between Idaho Fish and Game, DHW, and Idaho Sportsmen, Access & Opportunity, a hunting and fishing advocacy group that is funding the balance of discounted fishing licenses for eligible youth ages 18 to 20 and one foster parent per family.

Foster youth and parents who wish to participate will receive a voucher from DHW that can be redeemed for a fishing license at a Fish and Game office.

Youth in foster care and their families wishing to participate in the program should reach out to Laura Denner at DHW.

Laura Denner, DHW
208-334-0641 (office)
Laura.Denner@dhw.idaho.gov

It takes a village

The effort to introduce more foster youth to fly fishing is continuing to take root in Idaho through the efforts of a growing number of organizations: DHW, Idaho Fish and Game, Idaho Sportsmen, Access & Opportunity, and The Mayfly Project, to name four.

“For kids in foster care to learn that there’s someplace they can go and experience fresh air, clean water, and the calm of fly fishing is huge,” Barnhart said. “Our rivers need kids, and our kids need rivers.”

Idaho Sportsmen, Access & Opportunity Founder and Chairman Benn Brocksome agreed.

“Idaho’s great outdoors should be accessible to all, especially foster youth who can find solace and adventure in nature,” he said in reference to his organization’s decision to underwrite the foster youth free fishing program. 

A step in the right direction

The fly fishing community has embraced The Mayfly Project, leading to rapid growth. In just ten years, the organization has expanded to 67 project locations in the U.S.

The budding partnerships between DHW, The Mayfly Project, Fish and Game, and the Idaho Sportsmen group represent a community investment in the well-being of Idaho’s foster youth. By leveraging Idaho’s rich outdoor environment, the initiatives offer young people a meaningful and healing way to connect with nature, gain new skills, and build lasting relationships.

The Mayfly Project’s decade-long track record of success working with foster youth provides clear evidence that fishing can be a transformative experience for children in foster care, reinforcing that DHW’s efforts are a step in the right direction.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

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 adults with new routines, and might attend a new school.

Change can be good for the youths and their new foster parents. For Jack and Gwyn, a married couple from Star, Idaho, instilling a routine with their foster children was paramount to their success. (Follow this link to view a video where Jack and Gwyn share about their experience.)

Bedtimes, mealtimes, consistency, and routine brought a steadiness to the three children they foster. Jack and Gwyn don’t treat their foster kids any different than they treated their older children who have left the house, or their 11-year-old daughter at home. In fact, their 11-year-old was the one who suggested Gwyn and Jack apply to be foster parents.

She begged her parents to have a baby themselves, but after they listened to a presentation at their church about the need for more foster parents in Idaho, they initiated the paperwork. They became foster parents in March 2024.

The children in Jack and Gwyn’s care are part of a larger biological family. They are three of six siblings, who still get to visit their parents and brothers and sisters, but most of their time is spent under the steady guidance of Jack and Gwyn.

“All kids at the end of the day are kids, and they all need love, and they all need support,” Gwyn said. “We have learned a lot about kids and different backgrounds, but we find that—just—they're just kids, and it's simple.”

It’s important to Jack and Gwyn that they make the children feel safe—one of the keys to the foster system working. They said the children feel grief and loss and go through periods of stress after visits with their siblings or parents. He said he and Gwyn respond by giving space, a steady routine, and safety. Those basics are required, but the extras—the caring, nurturing, teaching—make foster parenting successful.

Jack and Gwyn had fears: How would the foster children get along with their daughter? “What if they miss their family so much we can’t help them?” They worked through it, listened to them, and kept their bellies full and their rooms clean.

Foster children live chaotic lives, but they can feel the calm of safety in the right home, Jack and Gwyn agreed. They watched the three children change in their care, saw them start to find happiness. The children now share their feelings and offer hugs when they get up in the morning.

Not every family in Idaho has the space or the means to take in an extra child with a complicated background, but the people who do are rewarded in miraculous ways. They find new strength, new love, and they share it.

“Please, don’t hesitate,” Jack said. “Treat them like you treat your own, and it makes life a lot easier.”

If you’ve ever considered fostering, know that your willingness to offer a home—even for one child for one season—can change a child’s life forever. For more information, call 2-1-1 or visit the Department of Health and Welfare’s foster care page. You could be the difference that turns a story of struggle into one of hope and belonging.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

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 recommendation that lawmakers will consider as they set the state’s next fiscal blueprint.

Among the good news for Idaho children and families is that the Governor’s recommendation adds $9.6 million to support prevention and transformation efforts in Idaho’s foster care system. If funded, this would be the largest ongoing increase in support for child welfare in state history. Most importantly, it has the prospect of positively changing the trajectory of the lives of some of Idaho’s most vulnerable children.

The Governor’s office and Division of Financial Management worked closely with the Department of Health and Welfare to calibrate a $9.6 million package to help the department’s goal of doubling the rate of foster families by June 2026. To be sure, the department has made great progress toward that goal, growing the number of foster families per 100 kids from 74 to 94 in just seven short months.

The department has succeeded so far by reorganizing the department leadership team and program structure to create more oversight and support, streamlining department policies and rules, initiating new community partnerships, and more.

The budget request will augment these efforts by providing funds to build out a prevention team, lower caseloads, raise foster family pay rates, and take other actions that will get the department closer to achieving its goal. 

Gov. Little’s proposed investment in child welfare marks a pivotal moment for Idaho’s foster care system, offering a clear path toward meaningful transformation. 

By focusing on prevention, increasing support for foster families, and addressing systemic challenges like high caseloads, Idaho has a unique opportunity to enact lasting change. Idaho’s children and families are counting on this investment to not only meet current needs but to build a brighter, more stable future.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

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 Idaho foster parent sentiment for over a decade, collected insights from 391 foster and adoptive parents in 2024. Over the years, the survey has served as an important tool for tracking trends, addressing concerns, and celebrating progress in the foster care system. 

The 2024 results paint a promising picture of improved satisfaction while also shedding light on areas that need further innovation. The findings reflect the state’s commitment to enhancing the foster care system and fostering stronger partnerships with resource families. Here are some highlights.

High marks for program support

A standout finding from the survey is that roughly 60% of foster families continue to rate the program’s overall support as “Very Good or “Good.” This broad approval underscores the program’s consistent and meaningful support to foster parents, reinforcing the department’s efforts to prioritize resource families’ needs.

A closer look at foster parent experiences

For many foster parents, the journey is one of challenges and rewards. The survey results show that a significant portion of parents feel their efforts are recognized and supported. For example, 57% of respondents rated the support from family service workers as “Very Good” or “Good.”

Furthermore, 64% of foster parents reported feeling like valued members of the care team—a testament to the emphasis on collaboration within the system.

Longevity and retention reflect dedication

The survey also sheds light on the dedication of Idaho’s foster parents. Nearly 70% of respondents have been involved for more than a year, and 38% have served as foster or adoptive parents for three years or more. This longevity underscores the resilience and commitment of resource families to providing stable, nurturing environments for children.

Opportunities for growth

The survey highlights areas for continued growth. Some foster parents expressed concerns about involvement in case planning and receiving timely information about court proceedings or medical records. The Department of Health and Welfare recognizes the essential role of foster parents and is committed to addressing their needs and concerns. 

Earlier in 2024 the department enacted a Foster Parent Bill of Rights, started publishing a foster family newsletter, and began hosting a foster family forum in which foster families can participate in discussions with resource staff and each other. Early in 2025 foster parents will receive a resource handbook to help them navigate the wide range of resources available to them.

In sum, ongoing efforts will continue to include enhancing transparency and timeliness in communication, particularly regarding placements and court updates; and providing additional support to help foster parents advocate for educational needs and manage caregiver burnout.

Idaho’s foster parents are the backbone of the system, offering hope and stability to children in need. This survey highlights the collective strides being made and the ongoing commitment to building an even stronger partnership with resource families.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.

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. Since arriving at the Department of Health and Welfare in June, I’ve signed 150 adoptions, each representing a child’s journey toward stability and belonging.

As I reflect on this milestone, I’m filled with gratitude for the dedicated families, social workers, and advocates who have made this possible. The department always works first to reunify children with their birth parents, but in cases where that’s not possible adoption is often the surest path toward stability.

The stories behind these adoptions are as unique as the children themselves. Some have waited months or even years for this moment, overcoming obstacles with incredible resilience. Others have found their permanent families through relatives, foster parents, or community members who stepped up to provide love and support.

For the 30 children whose adoptions I finalized this month, this Christmas will be truly memorable. They will wake up in homes surrounded by people committed to their well-being and long-term futures. For many, this marks the end of uncertainty and the beginning of a new chapter filled with hope and opportunity.

The work of ensuring a safe and healthy home for every Idaho child is not without its challenges. The foster care system is complex, and the road to reunifying children with their biological families, finding them secure foster families, or finalizing their adoptions can be challenging. Yet, moments like these remind me why we do what we do. 

I want to extend my thanks to all who play a role in this process. To the adoptive families who open their hearts and homes, thank you for your courage and compassion. To the social workers, case managers, and foster families, your dedication makes these happy endings possible.

Also as we pause to appreciate these adoptions, let us remember that we have a long way to go to reach our goal of doubling the rate of resource families in Idaho and providing every child in need a loving foster family or permanent home.

This holiday season, I encourage everyone to consider how they might support these children, whether through fostering, adoption, or community advocacy. Together, we can ensure that every child in Idaho has the chance to grow up in a safe and loving environment.

From all of us at the Department of Health and Welfare, I wish you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season. May your celebrations be filled with the spirit of giving that makes this time of year so special.

• Follow this link for more about foster care and adoption in Idaho. 

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is dedicated to strengthening the health, safety, and independence of Idahoans. Learn more at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.