Attend an info meeting
Will you be a part of God’s solution to this crisis? Sign up for one of our virtual Foster Care Info Meetings where you’ll learn about how children come into foster care and what it looks like to care for them — no pressure or commitment required.
Meet with an advocate
What if you’re exactly what a child needs? A one-on-one conversation with a Foster Care Advocate can help you explore whether foster care is right for you. Learn how kids enter the system, what support is available, and get answers to your questions — no pressure, just clarity.
Billings

Giving a voice to the voiceless has been the theme of Kaytee’s career. With a BS in Health Science and Public Health from the University of South Dakota, she’s worked abroad teaching health classes in a children’s home in West Africa and stateside at a non-profit pregnancy clinic. After following God’s lead to foster, Kaytee discovered a passion for helping new families answer His call to this mission through Child Bridge.
Butte

Becca entered the foster care realm with a desire to be the caring adult she needed as a child. She has spent years fostering teens, working to help them find purpose in their pain and rewrite their stories, while working in technology and software contract management. Now, she looks forward to putting her years of foster care and corporate experience to work finding more families for the kids she adores.
Great Falls

Mission-minded with a heart for children, Ray dove into foster care and never looked back. He received missionary training through Youth With A Mission in Las Vegas before joining their team full time. He and his wife have fostered 14 children over eight years – adopting two of them. The experience led Ray to seek out more families for more kids, passionately and professionally through Child Bridge.
Helena

Mission-minded with a heart for children, Ray dove into foster care and never looked back. He received missionary training through Youth With A Mission in Las Vegas before joining their team full time. He and his wife have fostered 14 children over eight years – adopting two of them. The experience led Ray to seek out more families for more kids, passionately and professionally through Child Bridge.
Kalispell

Stephanie’s deep love of children has driven both her family and career. After becoming a foster mom, she decided to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work in order to better care for children both at home and at work. Together, she and her husband have a permanent brood of four kids and have fostered 11. Stephanie now devotes her vast experience to inspiring families like her own to join the mission.
Miles City

Giving a voice to the voiceless has been the theme of Kaytee’s career. With a BS in Health Science and Public Health from the University of South Dakota, she’s worked abroad teaching health classes in a children’s home in West Africa and stateside at a non-profit pregnancy clinic. After following God’s lead to foster, Kaytee discovered a passion for helping new families answer His call to this mission through Child Bridge.
Missoula

Becca entered the foster care realm with a desire to be the caring adult she needed as a child. She has spent years fostering teens, working to help them find purpose in their pain and rewrite their stories, while working in technology and software contract management. Now, she looks forward to putting her years of foster care and corporate experience to work finding more families for the kids she adores.
Virtual

Mission-minded with a heart for children, Ray dove into foster care and never looked back. He received missionary training through Youth With A Mission in Las Vegas before joining their team full time. He and his wife have fostered 14 children over eight years – adopting two of them. The experience led Ray to seek out more families for more kids, passionately and professionally through Child Bridge.
what if i decide to move forward?
Foundations In Foster Care
An opportunity for new and future foster parents to dive into foundational topics like trauma-informed care, a biblical foundation for resilience and an introduction into a community of support for your fostering journey.
See the lives you could change
How does getting licensed work?
These are the general steps involved in becoming a licensed foster parent. These steps may vary depending on whether you get licensed through the State of Montana, a therapeutic agency or a tribe. We are here to provide answers and support throughout this process.
Common Questions
How long does it take to get licensed?
The length of time it takes to become a licensed foster family can vary significantly depending on the licensing agency and region. Your local Child Bridge Foster Care Advocate can provide an estimated timeline for your region of the state.
What if I want to adopt?
Children in foster care need temporary out of home care, whether that need is for a few days, a few months, or longer. These children need loving, nurturing families who will commit to caring for them no matter the length of time. At times, however, when children are unable to return home safely, permanency through adoption is sought. It is in these situations that foster families become a resource for children needing adoptive homes. There is an especially high need for families willing to adopt older children, including teenagers, and large sibling groups.
Can I get licensed through Child Bridge?
Child Bridge is not a licensing and placing agency. A Child Bridge recruiting specialist will work with you to decide which licensing agency will best suit your family's goals. We will then connect you with that agency and walk alongside you through the licensing process.
What does it cost to foster?
Currently, there is little to no financial obligation associated with fostering. Depending on the agency you work with, you may be asked to pay for a background check. Other costs associated with foster care to consider include the investment of time, space and emotion.
What's the difference between State, therapeutic and tribal licensing?
Each agency or tribe has different requirements for licensing. Some tribes will license non-Natives families to take placements from that tribe. Check for the tribe nearest you for their requirements. The Montana Department of Health and Human Services does most of the foster care licensing in the state. Therapeutic licenses are done through organizations such as Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch, Youth Dynamics and others. Children placed in families with a therapeutic license need a higher level of care than a traditional state foster care license. One of the misconceptions is that the state license and a therapeutic license are just different agencies doing the same thing. Therapeutic licensed families require extra training, documentation and need specific skills to care for a child with a diagnosed disability.
How do kids come into foster care?
Child and Family Services (CFS) investigates reports of suspected child abuse and neglect and removes children from threatening situations. A juvenile court judge then decides if a child needs to be placed or remain in foster care.
What is the goal of foster care?
The goal of foster care is to reunite a child with their biological family, whenever possible. A judge is the one that makes that determination as to when, or if, it is safe for a child to return home to their birth family.
How should I parent a child from foster care?
At Child Bridge, we coach parents in applying Trust-Based Relational Intervention®. Developed by Dr. Karyn Purvis, this methodology focuses on helping children heal through relationship with a trusted caregiver. The Connected Child book is an excellent starting place to learn how to connect with a child who has experienced trauma.
What are the requirements for becoming a foster parent?
You do not need to own your own home, be wealthy, have children already, have a college degree, or be a stay-at-home parent to foster or adopt. However, you do need to demonstrate that you can support yourself without any additional income. When a child is in foster care, she will qualify for Medicaid, which will cover medical needs and checkups. For Montana's state specific foster licensing requirements, please see this link: https://dphhs.mt.gov/cfsd/fosterparent