National Foster Care Month

The original focus was to give foster parents the recognition they deserved for opening their homes to foster children in need and caring for them.[http://about.adoption.com/information/press,2.html Adoption.com Press Releases - Adoption.com Distributes, Page 2] However, the main focus and theme changes with every passing year. For example, in 2019, the theme for National Foster Care Month was "Foster Care as a Support to Families, not a Substitute for Parents".{{Cite web|url=https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/|title=National Foster Care Month - Child Welfare Information Gateway}} The main focus is focus on promoting family well-being with resources that highlight community involvement, collaborative relationships, and targeted support services as key factors in supporting family preservation and keeping families healthy, together, and strong.

As of 2018, it is estimated that over 440,000 children are in foster care.{{Cite web|url=https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/resource/afcars-report-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109155743/https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/resource/afcars-report-25|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 9, 2019|title=AFCARS Report #25}}

Some of these children are not eligible for adoption, but many of them are. Every year, over 30,000 children age out of the foster system without a chance at permanence, which means the foster children are reaching the age of eighteen, no longer wards of the state, and out on their own.{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2011/05/10/136166653/the-root-helping-kids-after-foster-care-ends|title=The Root: Helping Kids After Foster Care Ends|date=May 10, 2011|publisher=National Public Radio|access-date=22 January 2014|author=Gordy, Cynthia}} This means that the youth over the age of eighteen have no familial support, resources, or even job or life skills.[http://jimcaseyyouth.org/ Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative] These facts have fueled the motivation behind National Foster Care Month.

Every year the current president of the United States issues a presidential proclamation specifically on National Foster Care Month.{{Cite web|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-national-foster-care-month-2019/|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|title=Proclamation on National Foster Care Month, 2019 – the White House}}

When President Reagan issued the first presidential proclamation that established May as National Foster Care Month.

Organized by the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth,{{Cite web|url=https://fosteryouthcaucus-karenbass.house.gov/|title=Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=|access-date=}} the annual National Foster Youth Shadow Day draws more than 60 current and former foster youth to the nation’s capital. The young people have meetings at the White House with members of the administration and spend a day shadowing their member of Congress in the Capitol to tell their stories.{{Cite web|url=https://bass.house.gov/press-release/rep-karen-bass-teams-former-foster-youth-4thannual-congressional-foster-youth-shadow|title=Rep. Karen Bass teams up with former foster youth for 4th Annual "Congressional Foster Youth Shadow Day"|date=2015-05-20|website=Congresswoman Karen Bass|access-date=2016-04-27}}

In 2014, television personality Dr. Phil McGraw testified before the House Ways and Means Committee on National Foster Youth Shadow Day about the problem of foster youth being over-medicated with psychotropic drugs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fosterclub.com/groups/dr-phils-testimony-congress-overmedication-children-foster-care|title=Dr. Phil's Testimony to Congress: THE OVERMEDICATION OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE|last=Jamie|date=2014-08-28|website=FosterClub|language=en-US|access-date=2016-04-27}}

National Foster Care Month is supported and maintained by the Children's Bureau,[https://web.archive.org/web/20020715183246/http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/ Home | Children's Bureau | Administration for Children and Families] Children Welfare Information Gateway,[https://www.childwelfare.gov/ Child Welfare Information Gateway] and their partners. In addition, the National Resource for Permanency and Family Connections,[http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/nrcfcpp/info_services/foster-care.html NRCPFC.ORG: Foster Care]{{cite web |url=https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/about.cfm |title=About... |website=www.childwelfare.gov |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510173832/http://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/about.cfm |archive-date=2012-05-10}} the National Foster Youth Institute,{{Cite web|url=http://www.nfyi.org/join_the_movement|title=Join The Movement|website=National Foster Youth Institute|access-date=2016-04-27|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428015211/http://www.nfyi.org/join_the_movement|archive-date=2016-04-28}} the Casey Family Programs,{{Cite web|url=http://www.casey.org/|title=Home - Casey Family Programs|website=Casey Family Programs|language=en-US|access-date=2016-04-27}} Foster Club,{{Cite web|url=https://www.fosterclub.com/|title=FosterClub|last=Inc.|first=FosterClub|date=2016-04-26|website=FosterClub|language=en-US|access-date=2016-04-27}} and the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth.

{{reflist|30em}}

• [https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/outofhome/. Out of Home Care]
• [http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/05/30/during-national-foster-care-month-city-launches-campaign-focusing-on-fostering-of-older-youth/ During National Foster Care Month, City Launches Campaign Focusing On Fostering Of Older Youth - CBS Philly]
• [http://fox6now.com/2013/05/14/celebrating-national-foster-care-month-in-milwaukee-co/ Celebrating National Foster Care Month in Milwaukee County | FOX6Now.com]
• [http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/ci_23148102/celebrating-national-foster-care-month-may-2013 Celebrating National Foster Care Month – May 2013 – Ukiah Daily Journal]
• [https://www.bet.com/article/t59sqc/commentary-we-must-care-for-black-foster-youth Commentary: We Must Care for Black Foster Youth | News | BET]
• [http://bangordailynews.com/2009/05/17/news/lsquoawesomersquo-foster-family-day-held-at-fort-knox/ ‘Awesome’ Foster Family Day held at Fort Knox — State — Bangor Daily News — BDN Maine]

Category:Foster care