ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The Belmont County Board of Commissioners honor foster parents of Belmont County by declaring May as Foster Parent Appreciation Month.

Belmont County Department of Job and Family Services Director Jeff Felton said that his agency currently has 63 children in the foster care program, and over a third of the children in the agency’s care are under the age of 6.

Felton said that when he first started working for DJFS that the agency had a small number of children who were in the foster care agency’s foster homes.

“Two-thirds of those children are placed in family foster homes (of non-relatives), whether it be traditional homes or therapeutic homes, and then there are 16 children placed with kinship people,” Children Services Administrator Christine Parker said.

Felton added that in addition to residents who are foster parents, the agency also owns multiple foster home facilities that are able to house children, which he believes is the best option due to the children being in close proximity to their family and friends.

May is Foster Parent Appreciation Month, and Parker said that during this month she and the agency want to thank foster parents for their continued dedication to providing a safe space for the children within the foster care system.

“They have really big hearts. They’re kind and considerate, patient and flexible, and compassionate. And so we just like to take the month of May to recognize them for all the work they do … ,” Parker said.

Foster Parent Appreciation Month was started by President Ronald Reagan in 1988, according to the American Presidency Project’s website.

“Every child and youth deserves to have their needs met! This year’s theme for National Foster Care Month is ‘Strengthening Minds. Uplifting Families,’ highlighting the need for well-rounded approaches that support the mental health needs of those in foster care, while also respecting different cultural backgrounds. It is crucial to address culture, identity, and lived experience when talking with youth or children in foster care about mental health and finding the right type of care. In fact, research indicates that cultural differences can influence what type of treatments and support work for individuals,” Ohio Foster, Adoption, and Kindshare’s website states.

Felton said he believes the best way to recruit future foster parents is to treat current foster parents the best possible way.

“The best way to recruit foster families is to treat your foster family as well. So when somebody calls in and says, ‘Hey, I’m thinking about becoming a foster parent for Belmont County, and I’ve heard things like that’s the only county I would want to be a foster parent, how can I transfer my license to Belmont County?’ And that’s just a testament to how they’re treated by our caseworkers, by our supervisors, the court as well,” Felton said.

He added that he understands the reasons why residents may be hesitant to become foster parents.

“It is not easy to open your heart, love them, and care for them as your own, knowing that there’s a possibility that they could be returning to their parents, and that that’s the first goal. And to celebrate when the parents make the changes they need to be able to care for their children, but it’s still a loss,” Felton said.

He added that his brother is a foster parent and went into the process thinking that the children would come for a couple weeks and then find another home.

“And I said, it just doesn’t work. You’re going to become attached to whoever that child is that comes into your home, and it’s going to be hard. They ended up adopting,” Felton said.

Belmont County Commissioner J.P. Dutton told Felton that he and the rest of the commissioners are very much appreciative of him and his staff being in attendance.

“We appreciate everything that everyone in this room does on a very important issue. And I think when people think of the different aspects of county government they mainly go to like roads and bridges and those types of things, but, and this is one of the most crucial things that happens on the local level, and I think sometimes people aren’t even aware that it’s happening,” Dutton said.

He added that residents often say that nothing happens in local government, but the work that JFS does is proof that important work happens every single day.

He also said that he constantly hears from other county commissioners that Belmont County does JFS the right way.