State leaders are looking to faith-based organizations and other non-profits for help in recruiting more foster parents.
There are nearly 6000 thousand children living in foster care in Mississippi according to the Department of Child Protection Services.
As part of an effort to get more children out of group home, the state is collaborating with faith-based communities for an effort called Rescue 100. The partnership is aiming to train at least 100 Mississippi families on becoming foster parents.
State Supreme Court Justice Dawn Beam is the Chair of the Mississippi Commission on Children’s Justice. She says part of the benefit of the program is that is expedites the training process, so that children can be placed in homes faster.
Jason Dillon is an Associate Pastor at Parkway Church in Madison. He says church leaders can definitely have a strong impact on recruiting more foster parents.
The need for more foster homes is also an active piece of the lawsuit. settlement that has forced the state to make a number of reforms in its foster care system.
