Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is involved with becoming a foster parent?

You must FIRST submit an application, and

• Be at least 21 years of age, a legal US resident, and have sufficient income to manage your household;
• Submit to checks through BCII, FBI, your local sheriff’s department, Abuse/Neglect Central Registry, and the Bureau of Motor Vehicle (these costs are reimbursed to you);
• Participate with a Home Study completed by the agency Social Worker, to include narratives regarding individuals, environment, references, finances, motivation, etc.
• Obtain a fire inspection of your home, a safety audit, a well-water check;
• Obtain medical statements for each member of the household;
• Provide 4 references and proof of residency in the state of Ohio;
• Submit copies of current driver’s license, auto/home/renter insurance, vaccinations of pets; and
• Complete 36 hours of initial training (we will reimburse you for your time spent at training once you are certified).

After you have been certified, there are requirements that will need to be maintained and/or updated every two years in order to continue your foster care certificate. Agency staff will assist you with the process.

2. Can I be a foster parent residing in Franklin County or is that too far away?

Yes, we currently have foster parents certified that live in Franklin County. Our office is located in Pickaway County, but our staff travels – WE WILL VISIT YOU in your home and in your community. We currently contract with Franklin, Ross, Pickaway, & Fairfield counties Children Services – they are “our community.”

During 2009, A New Leaf supported 135 children, 53% were from Franklin County, 20% were from Fairfield County, 19% were from Ross County, and 8% were from Pickaway County and others. Our goal is to provide the child a foster home in his/her community or within a close proximity. We want the child to incur the least amount of disruption as possible.

3. Once I turn in my application, how quickly will I be certified?

The entire process could take up to six months to complete. The time frame depends on individual schedules and obtaining needed documents. But remember… agency staff will assist you with the process.

4. How do I know if my home is large enough to be a foster parent?

The specific size of a home is not regulated, but where children sleep, eat, and play are. As an example, we want to make sure that everyone has their own bed and that your home has heat, lights, and a working bathroom. We like to see smoke alarms on each level, to make sure everyone is safe. These are only a few requirements, but we will review the rules with you during the Home Study process.

5. What about medical insurance and other expenses for the child?

Each child who is in foster care is provided with a Medical Card and/or has insurance through his/her parent for purposes of medical, dental, counseling, optical services.

The certified foster parent will receive a daily reimbursement, which is provided every two weeks, to care for each child in their home. This money is not taxed, and is used to reimburse the provision of: food, shelter, clothing, community/family/ school activities, personal care items, transportation for needed appointments, visits the child may have with his/her family. This list is not all inclusive, but gives a general idea.

The reimbursement amount per child is dependent upon the child’s individual issues. When children enter care they are assessed by professionals through their county’s Children Services and a “level of care” is identified:

• Traditional (low to mild/moderate medical, mental, emotional, behavioral, psychological problems)
• Special Needs (moderate to high medical, mental, emotional, behavioral, psychological problems)
• Exceptional (severe to profound medical, mental, emotional, behavioral, psychological problems)

Once the child is assessed, A New Leaf reimburses the foster parent per child, per day.

6. Who are the children in foster care?

A New Leaf, Inc. supports children of all ages and from various socio-economic backgrounds and cultures. The children that enter foster care may have been physically, sexually, emotionally abused, and/or may have been neglected. The children in care may have alcohol and other drug issues, may have a mental health diagnosis, may have siblings or be a teen parent, or they may have a need for a more structured environment than what their family can provide.

Foster parents are especially needed for:

• Adolescents, teenagers, and sibling groups
• Children with special needs (which may be developmentally delayed, emotional trauma, behaviorally challenged, etc.)

7. Can I decide the age or gender of the child that lives in my home?

Yes. As part of the licensing process, you and your social worker will decide together the characteristics of the potential child that would best match your family. Prior to a child living in your home, you will be provided with information regarding his/her background (to include, but not limited to the child’s environmental, behavioral, educational, medical, and family history) and you will be able to decide if the child would match your family’s characteristics. It is a decision that your family will have to make.

8. What support services from A New Leaf are available to foster parents?

We have 15 professional staff that facilitates our service delivery.

Our Case Management staff:

• Will collaborate and coordinate with referring agencies in development, monitoring, and implementing the case/treatment plans for children;
• Will visit the foster homes two (2) times per month;
• Will support the foster parents and children with service delivery; and
• Teach teens the skills needed to enter adulthood.

Our Licensing staff:

• Will initiate and maintain the certification of all our foster homes;
• Will maintain and administer the foster parents training plans; and
• Will make sure that state regulations for providing foster care are followed.

Other services of A New Leaf:

• We will pay for respite services for each child in your home, up to 2 days per month;
• We will issue clothing vouchers for each child 3 times a year;
• We will provide emergency clothing vouchers, as needed;
• We will provide cribs and car seats as needed when the child comes into care;
• We arrange for agency outings (typically 6 each year) for each family associated with A New Leaf. These outings have included watching a Columbus Crew soccer game, picnic at the Columbus Zoo, an annual fish fry, baseball games, an annual holiday party, etc.
• We provide 24-hour on-call services for emergencies; and
• We support, respect, and listen to each foster parent and child with our agency.

9. What exactly is respite and do I have to get certified to provide respite?

Respite is an overnight stay at another certified foster parent’s home. Both sets of foster parents will be reimbursed, per day, per child. Many of the newly certified foster parents will “get their feet wet” by providing respite services for the other foster parents in the agency. Respite can be used for a special adult night out, family emergency, or just to take a break. As parents, A New Leaf recognizes that we all could use some time for ourselves.

10. Alright I’m interested, what do I do next?

Complete the following, hit “submit,” and our journey will begin. All fields marked with an * are required. Thank you and we will be talking to you soon.

This first step is YOUR opportunity to help a child in need