Lorain County commissioners mark May as Foster Care Month, urge more rural foster families

Commissioners for Lorain County on May 23 hosted foster parents and Lorain County Children’s Services staff to present a proclamation recognizing May as Foster Care Month and to urge residents to consider fostering.

Nancy Griffiths, a foster and adoptive licensing supervisor at Lorain County Children’s Services, thanked the commissioners and said the agency is “grateful to the many families that have chosen to become licensed foster parents here at Lorain County.” She described the licensing process as including background checks, a detailed home study and extensive training.

The presentation included testimony from foster parents Brenda and Daniel Walsh and Maribel Rivera. Griffiths said the Walshes have been licensed since 2021 and have provided respite care for other foster families; Rivera, who retired from fostering in January, cared for 11 children since 2015 and continues to volunteer at Mercy Health Hospital.

Why it matters: County staff and foster parents said the county has fewer foster homes than needed in rural townships. Griffiths said roughly 11 percent of referrals come from Lorain County’s rural communities but that the county has “few foster homes in the rural Lorain County,” and asked listeners to encourage potential foster parents to visit childrenservices.org.

County context and next steps: During the presentation Commissioner Rodell read or summarized the proclamation and cited agency figures the board provided: "each month approximately 85 children need to stay in foster care in Lorain County," and "58 highly trained and dedicated foster families licensed through Lorain County Children's Services". Commissioners and attendees discussed outreach priorities: recruiting in rural townships, among veterans and within school systems.

Discussion vs. action: This event presented a proclamation and public recognition; the transcript records the proclamation being read and discussed but does not record a formal vote on adoption of the proclamation in the minutes. No new ordinance, contract, or funding decision was made at the meeting.

Voices in the record: Griffiths emphasized the county’s recruitment needs and the role of community referrals in expanding the foster pool. Commissioner Moore and other commissioners offered personal recollections and encouraged the public to refer candidates. There were no public motions or funding commitments recorded related to foster services in this segment.

Ending: Children’s Services asked residents to encourage suitable friends, neighbors or coworkers to consider licensing as foster parents; staff pointed potential applicants to childrenservices.org for details.