Michigan's Women, Infants & Children program, providing supplemental nutrition, breastfeeding information, and other resources for healthy mothers & babies.
Information on the Family Independence Program, State Disability Assistance, SSI, Refugee, and other cash assistance.
If you cannot afford child care, payment assistance is available.
Children's Special Health Care Services information and FAQ's.
Information on assistance with home repairs, heat and utility bills, relocation, home ownership, burials, home energy, and eligibility requirements.
Information on the Food Assistance Program, eligibility requirements, and other food resources.
Information about the health care programs available through Medicaid and how to qualify.
Our migrant program works with a number of organizations to provide services for Michigan’s migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
A federal program which helps persons admitted into the U.S. as refugees to become self-sufficient after their arrival.
Universal caseload, or task-based processing, is a different way of handling public assistance cases.
Information on the Children's Protective Services Program, child abuse reporting procedures, and help for parents in caring for their children.
Information on adoption programs, adoption resources, locating birth parents and obtaining information from adoption records.
Information on Adult Protective Services, Independent Living Services, Adult Community Placement Services, and HIV/AIDS Support Services.
Information on child support services for participants and partners.
Programs for healthy children & families, including immunization, lead poisoning prevention, prenatal smoking cessation, and many others.
Information on the Children's Foster Care program and becoming a Foster Parent.
Information about the Michigan law that requires certain information be made available to a woman who is seeking an abortion at least 24 hours prior to the abortion procedure.
Information on treatment and services for juvenile offenders, success stories, and more.
Child Welfare Medical and Behavioral Health Resources
MDHHS and partners support a continuum of prevention services. The continuum is inclusive of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention activities. Visit this page to learn more.
Information about injury and violence prevention programs in Michigan
Information on Safe Sleep for your baby, how to protect your baby's life.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' (MDHHS) Division of Environmental Health (DEH) uses the best available science to reduce, eliminate, or prevent harm from environmental, chemical, and physical hazards.
Resources and information to assist in assuring firearm safety for families in the state of Michigan.
The Division of Victim Services (DVS) provides a voice advocating for and responding to all victims of crime in Michigan. Learn more about DVS-funded programs and services, including Michigan’s 24/7, free, confidential, and anonymous domestic violence and sexual assault hotlines.
Medical Resources for Child Protection
Serves as liaison and provides funding to Michigan’s 45 local health departments.
Adult Behavioral Health & Developmental Disability Services
Multicultural Health
Prevention of diseases & conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and many others.
Information on communicable & chronic diseases.
Home to an array of public health programs, initiatives and interventions aimed at improving the health and well-being of women, infants, families and communities.
Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Records
Boards and Commissions
Bridge Card Participation Information on Electronic Benefits for clients and businesses, lists of participating retailers and ATMs, and QUEST.
Provider Payments Information on the direct deposit of State of Michigan payments into a provider's bank account.
Information on How to Bid, Requests for Proposals, forms and publications, contractor rates, and manuals.
Information & resources for Community and Faith-Based partners
Information on DHS Applications and Forms grouped by category.
Health Care Providers
Licensing information for Adult Foster Care and Homes for the Aged, Child Day Care Facilities, Child Caring Institutions, Children's Foster Care Homes, Child Placing Agencies, Juvenile Court Operated Facilities and Children's or Adult Foster Care Camps.
Michigan Statewide Systems of Care
Information on the grant awarded for the State Innovation Model Proposal
Protect MiFamily -Title IV-E Waiver
Offers resources for agencies who operate the Weatherization Assistance Program in the state of Michigan
Information is collected to monitor the general health and well-being of Michigan citizens.
Information on resources in your community and volunteer recruitment and training, and services provided at local DHS offices.
Equal Opportunity, Legal Base, Laws and Reporting Welfare Fraud information.
A variety of reports & statistics for programs and services.
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You're not alone when you become a foster parent. If you need assistance, there are financial resources and entire communities that can - and want to - offer you a helping hand.
The Michigan Foster Care Portal (MFCP) is a one stop shop to begin the licensing process. This will support an increase in the timeliness of licensure. As prospective foster parents complete steps in the MFCP, the portal tracks their progress and guides them to the next steps in the licensing process.
The portal will have contact information for agencies as well as FAQs to assist you as you go through the process. When creating your account, please remember to add your email and phone number. This will be helpful for contacted agencies and if you need to reset your password.
Several resources are available to help you get started in the MFCP:
Financial support is available for foster families. The amount is based on the child's age and certain services provided to the child. Review the MDHHS Foster Care Rates for a detailed overview.
Additional reimbursement may be available based on your needs when a child comes into your care. Contact your local agency for details.
We envision a foster care community where parents providers are empowered, supported and recognized as partners, creating a solid foundation where children can thrive. To that end, we recommend that you take advantage of the numerous community and faith-based organizations across the state. These groups are comprised of people who understand the challenges of caring for children who are not your own, and more importantly, will help you navigate the challenges and celebrate your successes. Several of those organizations are listed here to get you started:
Adoptive Family Support Network (AFSN) has a Statewide Parent to Parent Program providing post-adoption support, education and resources to families across Michigan, regardless of where they are on their journey. Visit them online at https://dabsj.org/what-we-do/adoption/post-adoption-support.
The Arc Michigan's Foster Care Disability Navigation (FCDN) grant funded by MDHHS is available to any student in Michigan experiencing foster care who lives with a disability or suspected disability. FCDN advocates can assist with a variety of education support needs including special education programming, school discipline, and enrollment at no cost. FCDN also has funding available to assist with removing barriers to the student's educational success. To complete an intake, please contact the Student Advocacy Center's Statewide helpline at 1-855-688-1916 or Helpline@studentadvocacycenter.org.
Family Enrichment Center is a consumer created, consumer driven nonprofit agency, dedicated to help foster, adoptive and kinship children by supporting the families they live with through trainings, support groups, family activities, moral support and advocacy. Visit them online at www.FECFamily.com.
Foster Care Navigator Program - Whether you have been a foster parent for several years or you are just inquiring about becoming a foster parent, the benefits of having a Navigator are invaluable. The staff of navigators work with both the State of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and private agencies to support the continuing growth of Michigan's foster parent population. Navigators work to empower, educate and advocate for all individuals who wish to become or continue as foster parents. Visit them online at www.fcnp.org.
Fostering Forward Michigan is a statewide coalition of foster, adoptive and kinship caregivers that support, train, educate, and advocate on behalf of Michigan's children and families. Fostering Forward members are working together to impact and improve outcomes. They provide services as requested by families, attorneys and courts, therapists and other advocates, as well as direct contact workers on a case by case basis. They also report on trends and offer support toward positive change within the child welfare system. Fostering Forward is the Michigan affiliate to the National Foster Parent Association and routinely partner with other statewide and national organizations. Visit them online at www.fosteringforwardmi.org.
Kids Belong is an organization that serves foster, adoptive and kinship families in Muskegon County and surrounding areas. It is a collaboration of churches working together with families and child welfare agencies to meet needs and make connections. Kids Belong has Sharing Closets in three different churches as well as multiple support groups that meet at variety of times. They can be found on Facebook and online at www.kidsbelong.com.
Kinship care is often a rewarding experience for both the child and their relative caregiver, it can also come with many challenges. The Kinship Care Resource Center (KCRC) at Michigan State University is a statewide program in the School of Social Work that serves families raising relative children by providing information and referrals to resources and services. With the support of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, families and service providers are connected with Kinship Care Navigators, who are experienced kinship caregivers. Kinship Care shares information about local support groups, offers trainings and conducts other outreach. Kinship Care also offers support to professionals serving kinship families. Additionally, through partnerships with two local Area Agencies on Aging, Kinship Care administers a respite program for eligible caregivers in these communities. To learn more about services offered through the Kinship Care Resource Center call 1-800-535-1218 or visit the website at www.kinship.msu.edu.
MARE Adoption Navigators -The Adoption Navigator program is operated through the Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE). Adoption Navigators are experienced adoptive parents who offer guidance, support and personal knowledge to potential adoptive families throughout the entire adoption process. They have years of parenting experience, resource and service finding skills, and knowledge of foster care and the different procedures for infant, older child, domestic, and international adoptions. Having a Navigator is a free, voluntary service, and families are not required to have a Navigator to contact MARE for any questions. Visit them online at www.mare.org.
Muslim Foster Care Association (MFCA) is a non-profit organization based in Michigan, established to improve the lives of foster children and provide a support network for foster parents. MFCA's goals include educating the community about the growing reality of Muslim children in foster care, providing assistance and resources for Muslim families considering foster home licensing, and advocating for children and families experiencing foster care on the local, state, and national level. Visit them online at https://muslimfostercare.org/.
Whether you are a foster parent who enjoys talking to and interacting with others or you tend to be quiet and reserved, preferring to sit back and listen, support groups are a resource you should consider utilizing. Foster parent support groups are made up of new and veteran foster, adoptive and kinship parents who come together, forming social communities and creating safe spaces to share personal experiences without fear of judgment. Foster parents who attend support groups often feel understood because others will have gone through similar experiences. Feelings of uncertainty, anger, anxiety, and frustration are often validated as legitimate emotional responses to difficult situations. As a result of the insight, suggestions, and encouragement offered by other parents, those who attend support groups often find a place to learn new skills to help cope with their seemingly unique situations.
Many support groups provide training opportunities and plan recreational activities for children and families experiencing foster care. They offer socialization, help to build supportive relationships, and form a community of mentoring. Visit the Foster Care Navigator page to learn about support groups in your area: http://fcnp.org/support-group/
Foster parents often wonder which decisions they are able to make on their own about everyday matters involving the child in their care and which ones require special permission or consent. The Reasonable and Prudent Parenting Caregiver Training is a web-based training that helps to bring clarity to many of those concerns. You must complete the Note Sheet and provide it to your licensing worker as verification that you have completed the training.
The 2021 Virtual Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Parent Conference was presented by MDHHS and hosted online by Fostering Forward Michigan in May 2021. Workshop topics included "Trauma, Resilience and Redemption" by former foster youth and national speaker Derek Clark, "Engaging & Co-parenting with Birth Parents" by relative engagement expert Dr. Joseph Crumbley, "Brave Girl, Speak" and "Forgotten Victims: Caring for the Non-Abused Siblings of Sexual Abuse Victims" by survivor and child advocate Kendall Wolz. Several presentations from the conference are still available at https://ffmichti.thinkific.com/. Free registration is required to access the trainings.
MDHHS hosted the 2019 Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Parent Conference at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Traverse City. There were 281 people in attendance for this conference, which featured a keynote presentation by Bryan Post and sessions on topics such as: Triggers Experienced by Children in Transracial Foster and Adoptive Families, Trying Differently Rather Than Harder, Preparing Siblings for New Placements, The Joys of Parenting Teens, and Where Do the Dads Fit In?- A Men Only Workshop.
View Bryan Post's presentations, streamed live from the 2019 Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Parent Conference:
The Science of Love in Parenting
https://www.facebook.com/postinstitute/videos/546521589087474/
How to End Lying, Stealing, and Defiance in 30 Days or Less
https://www.facebook.com/postinstitute/videos/345120869475453/
Additional free online training opportunities are available for foster, adoptive, and kinship parents, addressing many of the unique concerns and challenges you might face as caregivers.
If you are a foster parent who has not received emails from MDHHS regarding training conferences and would like to be added to an email list for information about future training opportunities, please email Monica S. Jackson, Statewide Adoptive and Foster Parent Recruitment and Retention Coordinator, at JacksonM9@michigan.gov.