Governor Unveils Plan To Boost Foster Care Resources In Montana

Montana is joining a national effort aimed at improving foster care outcomes and ensuring more children have access to safe, stable homes.

Gov. Greg Gianforte on Tuesday announced the state will participate in the “A Home for Every Child” initiative, alongside officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families. The program is designed to strengthen foster care systems, expand placement options and support families across participating states.

“Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up in a safe, stable, and loving home,” Gianforte said. “As part of our commitment to strengthening families, supporting foster parents, and improving outcomes for our youngest Montanans, we are proud to partner with ACF to modernize our system and better serve children and families across our state.”

The initiative aligns with a federal executive order focused on improving foster care and family outcomes nationwide. Its primary goal is to ensure that for every child entering foster care, there is an available licensed foster home or kinship placement, targeting a home-to-child ratio greater than 1-to-1.

Assistant Secretary Alex J. Adams of the Administration for Children and Families said Montana’s participation reflects a continued focus on supporting foster youth and expanding resources for families.

“Governor Gianforte has long prioritized the needs of foster youth, and today’s decision to join ‘A Home for Every Child’ is another example of his continued leadership on behalf of children and families,” Adams said. “Together, we will work to reduce unnecessary entries into foster care while increasing the number of available licensed foster families.”

As part of the initiative, Montana will collaborate with federal partners to recruit and retain more foster families, expand kinship care opportunities and reduce administrative barriers within the child welfare system. The effort also emphasizes improving accountability and outcomes for children in care.

Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services Director Charlie Brereton said the department will focus on increasing access to preventive services and keeping families together whenever possible.

“We know children thrive best when they can remain safely at home with their families,” Brereton said. “A Home for Every Child focuses our work on improving outcomes that matter most — strengthening foster home availability while prioritizing kinship placements, child safety and permanency.”

Get our free mobile app

The announcement follows National Foster Care Month and comes as state officials highlight progress in reducing the number of children in foster care. According to the Department of Public Health and Human Services, the number of children in the system has dropped from more than 3,300 in early 2021 to 1,749 — a 47% decrease.