What is foster care?

Foster care is the temporary placement of children who, due to abuse and neglect, have been removed from their parent(s) by the Department of Child Safety (DCS). Foster parents provide care and supervision while the family works toward living together again.

What different types of foster parenting does HRT offer in Rural Arizona?

Regular Foster Care

Regular foster care, or a Family Foster Home, is general foster care. Children are placed in foster families when they are removed from their home and cared for until they can return home or be adopted.

Kinship Foster Care
Kinship foster care is a license for families in which DCS has placed relative children such as grandchildren, nieces or nephews, etc. These families are not expected to care for other children in foster care. HRT is committed to assisting kinship families with the licensing process and providing them with the necessary supports needed to care for family members.

Respite Care

Respite foster families care for children for short periods of time (i.e., a few days to a week) while their regular foster family is unable to care for them. Family Foster Homes can have 1or 2 beds reserved for respite care.

Medically Complex

Medically Complex trained foster families provide care for children who have chronic physical, developmental, or medical conditions. A child must meet specific criteria to qualify as Medically Complex.

Medically Complex foster families receive 18 hours of additional pre-service training and are required to attend 24 hours of training every 2 years for renewal.

Is there a difference in licensing/eligibility for Kinship Foster Care?

The licensing process is the same for Kinship Foster Care and Regular Foster Care. There are some waivers available for non-safety licensing rules. The license is restricted to the children currently placed in the home.

What types of children come into foster care?

Children from all different ethnic and racial backgrounds come into the foster care system. Children have typically been separated from their biological families due to abuse or neglect. These children also suffer from trauma and loss in varying degrees.

How are Native American children served?

HRT serves children from sovereign tribes throughout Arizona, including the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Navajo, Gila River, White Mountain Apache and the Hopi Tribe.

Foster families need to be willing to incorporate Native American culture into their home. Typically, families caring for Native American children are expected to transport to visits, medical appointments, or counseling sessions on the Reservation. A slightly higher reimbursement rate is offered to account for the additional transportation and cultural expectations. While reunification is the primary goal for all children, many Native American children will need long-term foster families.

What is the difference between my HRT Licensing Worker and a DCS Case Manager?

An HRT Licensing Worker is there to support you as a foster parent and help you maintain your license. A DCS Case Manager is employed by the Department of Child Safety and is the legal guardian of the children. They also provide case management to the biological family.

Do foster parents receive financial assistance?


What Adoption Services do you provide?

HRT provides Adoption Certification for families wanting to adopt a child through the foster care system in Arizona.

Is there a fee?

HRT does not charge to complete an adoption certification to adopt children from foster care in Arizona. A nominal fee may apply if you are licensed for foster care and want to make an additional bed open for the adoption registry only.

What are the requirements to be certified to adopt?

To become certified to adopt, you must be at least 18 years old and have sufficient income to support your household expense. Adoptive families and their adult household members must pass a background check and be able to obtain a Level 1 Fingerprint Clearance Card. You must also complete Foster Parent College training as well as complete a variety of documents and interviews for your home study.

What is the difference between foster care and adoption?

Foster care is the temporary placement of a child with a foster family. Children may be in a foster home a few days or several years until permanency can be accomplished. Many foster parents choose to adopt the child or children they are fostering if they are unable to return to their parents. Adoption is the permanent placement of a child with a family after the biological parents’ rights have been severed. The adoptive parents assume all the legal rights and responsibilities of a biological parent.

Can I do both foster care and adoption?

Many foster parents go on to adopt if the child’s case plan changes to adoption. Foster families can adopt without an adoption certification. If you are interested in fostering and having an open adoption certification for other children in Arizona’s foster care system, please contact us to discuss the requirements.

Do I receive reimbursement for adoption?

There is no set monthly reimbursement for adoption although the State does provide Adoption Subsidy to offset the cost of adopting a special needs child. This may be a monthly reimbursement or money for specific needs of the child.

How do I start?

Please call 1-888-433-1344 to learn if you qualify and how to get started in the process.  You can also fill out a Contact Us form and we will contact you within 1 business day.


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