The Division of Children and Family is responsible for the following duties:

• Child abuse, neglect and concerns,
• Court ordered supervision,
• Child welfare and outreach,
• Interstate Compact on the placement of children from out of state, in need of protection, or juvenile youth in need of supervision.

Other Services Provided

• Birth to 3 Program
• Family Support Program
• Step Parent Adoptions
• Licensing of County Foster homes for Children

Foster Parents

Columbia County Department of Health & Human Services needs people to provide foster care for children from birth to 18 years. A person licensed to operate a foster home must be a responsible, mature individual who is fit and qualified, who doesn't abuse alcohol or drugs or have a history of statutory conviction or administrative rule violation that substantially relates to the care of foster children or operating a foster home.

Individuals licensed to be foster parents must exercise sound judgement and display the capacity to successfully nurture foster children.

Foster parents will usually have some contact with their foster child's birth parents.

A foster child's length of stay in a foster home ranges from one day to two years. Children placed in a foster home may have learning disabilities or emotional/behavioral challenges. Bed wetting and head lice are not unusual.

Foster parents are responsible for enrolling their foster child in school, scheduling and transporting their foster child to medical or therapy appointments, and attending meetings related to the child's status and progress.

All foster children are covered by Medical Assistance. Foster parents receive standardized monthly payments to cover the cost of caring for the child. A foster parent who has particularly difficulty care for a child may receive a supplement in addition to the basic rate.

Uniform Foster Care Brochure(*rates valid as of 1/2006)

Foster Parent Application Form

Kinship Care

This program offers assistance for households where the child or children are being cared for by a relative. It is limited in funding and usually is awarded based on need with priority going to those cases where the court has ordered this custodial arrangement.