The Arizona Department of Child Safety reports says the state is lacking foster homes, despite the fact that thousands of families have looked into becoming foster parents.
The agency’s Mollie Mesaros says the process of becoming a foster parent takes longer than some expect, which may turn prospective parents away.
“I think where we see a lot of that drop-off is the fact that it can take between 4-6 months to become a licensed foster family, and that’s a very self-driven process, so it can take longer,” said Mesaros.
Mesaros says the number of available foster homes often decreases when families decide to adopt their foster child, or are reunited with their biological child.
She says COVID-19 has actually increased the number of interested foster families, as it has caused some to want to help their surrounding community more.
