MARQUETTE — Marquette and Alger counties, like the rest of Michigan and the entire the United States, could use more foster care homes.

Many misconceptions exist about the foster care system, notions that may keep some well-qualified people from becoming a foster care family.

Officials from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services explained how the system works in a conference call with The Mining Journal.

“Anyone considering become a foster parent can call to speak with a foster care navigator at 1-855-MICHKIDS,” said Monet Chartier, foster care licensing specialist for MDHHS in Marquette and Alger counties. “A navigator will answer questions and help find a program in their area.”

Each of these flags represents one of the 45 children in foster care and one of the 36 foster care homes in Marquette County. (Photo courtesy of Gena Johnson, Great Lakes Recovery Center’s RRT-recruiter/support coordinator/trainer)

Navigators are experienced foster parents who can help guide prospective foster parents through the licensing process.

Chartier said 18 is the minimum age to become a foster parent, but there is no maximum age. At present, there are 54 licensed foster homes in Marquette County and 11 in Alger County.

“We’re always looking for more families,” said Jessica Sweet, Foster and adoptive parent recruitment development and support manager in MDHHS’s Lansing office. “We want to get the best possible placement for the children.”

Chartier said at present, there are 13,000-plus children in foster care in the state of Michigan.

“In Marquette County, as of March 2019, there were 33 kids in foster care, while in Alger County, there were eight,” said Bob Wheaton, public information officer for MDHHS.

“The first step to becoming a foster parent is called orientation,” Chartier said. “They fill out a licensing packet. And then there are on-site in-home visits.”

Single people are eligible to become foster parents, you do not have to own your own home to become one and you don’t have to be independently wealthy.

“A foster parent is not expected to pay expenses for the child,” she said. “There is a clothing allowance, the children may receive Medicaid and a variety of other resources to help, depending on where they live.”

Those resources include things like support groups and clothing closets.

“We try to make sure our foster parents have lots and lots of support,” Chartier said.

Children become part of the foster care network through the court system.

“Information is obtained including all reports of neglect or abuse,” Sweet said. “A Child Protective Services investigator looks into the reports and if they find there is concern for the child’s safety, they file a request for removal and the court makes the decision from there.”

Sweet said if removal is ordered, relatives are sought first for the child’s placement. If no relative is available, then the child is placed is a foster home most suitable to her/him, depending on age, medical requirements and other needs.

“A foster parent needs a lot of patience, a lot of compassion,” Chartier said. “These kids are hurting and the foster parent is needed to reduce the child’s fear behaviors.”

There are plenty of ways those not ready to become a foster care parent can help these children.

“You can contact a local agency to become a volunteer,” Chartier said. “They will do a background check. Then the volunteer can do things like respite care — giving the foster parents some time to get away to take care of other things,” she said. “They can provide transportation or tutor or mentor the child, who may have fallen behind in school.”

Regardless of the circumstances that brought a child to foster care, the hoped-for outcome remains the same.

“Foster care is a temporary situation,” Wheaton said. “We’re providing services to the child’s family with the intent of returning them to their original home, but if it’s decided that home is not safe, then adoption is the next goal. We are always trying to find a permanent home for these kids.”

Renee Prusi can be contacted at 906-228-2500, ext. 240.