Foster Homes: Youngstown Urges Residents to Become Foster Parents
Mahoning County Children’s Services is urgently calling on residents of Youngstown to consider becoming foster parents. Each year, dozens of children are removed from their homes in the city, yet there are far too few foster homes available to keep them close to everything they know.
In 2024 alone, 140 children were taken into care in Youngstown, but there were only six licensed foster homes available in the city.
Because of this shortage, many of these children are placed far from home, some as far away as Columbus or Cleveland. That kind of displacement can cause even more trauma during an already difficult and confusing time in a child’s life.
“It’s important to stay in the same school districts, see the same family, the same friends, the same way of life,” said Thomas Snyder, Treatment Foster Program Lead at Mahoning County Children’s Services.
Keeping children close to home not only provides them with comfort and consistency, it also plays a major role in helping them reunify with their families.
“Constant visitation is the biggest indicator of successful reunification,” Snyder explained. “And unfortunately, if children have to go across the state, visitation is not happening as frequently as we would like.”
Becoming a foster parent takes about six months and includes several steps such as training, background checks, and a home study. While the process takes time and commitment, leaders emphasize that the impact is life-changing for the child and the foster family.
“You can make a difference in the child’s life,” said Richard Tvaroch, Executive Director of Mahoning County Children’s Services. “You make an impact on their life, and they’re going to make an impact on you, and you will both help this community thrive.”
Anyone interested in becoming a foster parent can call Mahoning County Children’s Services at (330) 941-8888 or visit their website to learn more.
