OKDHS asks “Why Not You” in a new recruitment campaign to support children in foster care 

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 15, 2021) – Every day in Oklahoma, children enter the foster care system through no fault of their own. Each child needs the love and support that only a family can provide, as well as help to process the trauma they have experienced. Many of these children have developed survival skills that are an attempt to meet an unmet need, and they are in need of a foster family willing to meet them right where they are. It takes all kinds of families to serve Oklahoma’s children, and Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) asks, “Why Not You?”.

The Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) program assists school-aged children who have unique life experiences that require enhanced understanding of each child’s individual needs. Children in this level of foster care require more specialized therapeutic services to improve their well-being and families who are willing to come alongside children who come from hard places or circumstances. The right foster family can provide the additional support and healing these children need to thrive. There are not currently enough TFC homes available in Oklahoma for the children who need it most.

“Our TFC families can make the difference between children growing up in group homes or shelters, or growing up in a family,” said OKDHS Director of Child Welfare Services Dr. Deborah Shropshire. “We know this work is hard, but it is so worth it, and our existing TFC families prove that success is possible for our kids with the right supports.”

Families who are considering TFC should know they will never be alone. Private agencies work alongside OKDHS to support the TFC program. TFC families receive a number of additional supports to help children succeed in their home including arranged respite care, medical insurance for the children, counseling services, access to 24/7 crisis response, trauma-informed training and many other supportive resources. TFC families also receive a higher reimbursement rate, with additional financial reimbursements and benefits available. 

The right family can provide the tools a child needs to heal. Why not you? Oklahomans interested in learning more about TFC or applying to become a certified TFC foster family may call 1-800-376-9729 or visit beaneighbor.ok.gov.

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