Five Counties Picked For Federally Backed Foster Care Program

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Five Maryland counties have been picked by the Maryland Department of Human Services to take part in a federally backed program to support adopted children and foster families.

Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Prince George's and Montgomery counties were selected by the state agency to create a Center of Excellence for Foster Family Development.

This new program aims to have foster families remain in touch with their foster child's biological parents and play a role "in supporting parents' efforts to regain custody of their children," the agency said in a release.

"We are putting in place programs that work toward breaking the cycle of multi-generational dependency," Lourdes R. Padilla, secretary of the Maryland Department of Human Services, said in a statement. "By addressing the needs of the entire family, we help ensure that when children and parents leave our care, they have the tools needed to thrive."

The state received a four-year grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to launch the initiative.

Under this model, foster parents will take training courses to encourage children to learn prosocial behaviors and build cooperation. Biological parents would learn to improve their parenting and social skills.

All the adults would be using consistent strategies for raising a child with the ultimate goal of having that child return to his or her biological parents.

On its website, the Maryland Department of Human Services said similar programs in New York City resulted in lower rates of behavioral and emotional issues in children and adolescents, less substance use, shorter stays in foster care and more frequent reunification.