Layne Hedden

Why You Should Still Care About Foster Care in June

May was National Foster Care Month, and we’ve worked hard to raise awareness, share stories, and spotlight the needs of kids and families in the foster care system. But foster care isn’t a May-only issue. It’s a year-round reality.
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Something Everyone Asks About

The most common question I hear as a foster parent is some version of, "But, won't you get attached?"
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Something No One Talks About

There's something you rarely hear about when people talk about foster care. We don’t often hear the stories of the children themselves. Not because their lives aren’t powerful, moving, or worth sharing. But because, in most cases, we’re not allowed to share them.
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Foster Parent Banquet

We hosted our annual Foster Parent Banquet on Thursday, May 15th at Williams on the Lake in Medina.
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What I Wish I Knew

Before I became a foster parent, I wish I knew...
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Meet Our Families - Shawn & Jamie

Meet Shawn and Jamie! They have been married for 14 years and have been MCJFS foster parents for over 3 years. They have 4 children - 3 biological and 1 adopted through foster care. They currently have a 9-year old placed in their home.
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A Day in the Life

Foster parenting isn't about being perfect - it's about being present. Every day is different, but each one is filled with opportunities to show love, offer stability, and help a child feel safe and seen.
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Rising Up and Moving On 2025

On Thursday, April 10th we hosted our Rising Up and Moving On breakfast which is an opportunity for us to recognize and celebrate the successes and accomplishments of our youth, families, and community partners.
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Meet Our Families - Colleen & Mike

Meet Colleen & Mike! They have been married for 13 years and have been MCJFS foster parents for one year. They are in the process of adopting the two school-aged boys who were placed in their home the same week they became licensed.
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High Five for '25

For 2025, we are setting a goal of licensing 8 families for children aged 5 and older. With our High Five for ’25 campaign, we will attempt to dispel some of the myths surrounding older children in the foster care system and help answer some of those questions that may prevent families from working with older children.
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Meet our Families - Derwin & Maryjo

Meet Derwin and Maryjo! They have been MCJFS foster parents for 3 years. They have 3 biological children under age 7, and currently have a toddler placed in their home.
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Heartwarming Holiday Moments 2024

Every year, we like to reflect on the many ways we have seen our community step up to partner with us and surround the children in our foster care system with a little extra love and joy at the holidays.
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Meet Our Families - Jan

Meet Jan! Jan has been a foster parent with MCJFS for 45 years! Jan does not keep count of how many children have come through her home, but she remembers every child by name and has stories to tell about each one.
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Meet our Families - Missy & Damon

Meet Missy and Damon! They have been married for 2 years and have been MCJFS foster parents for 5 months. They currently have 2 little girls placed in their home.
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Meet our Families - Karly & Erica

Meet Karly and Erica! They have been together for 12 years and have a 3-month old daughter and 6-year old foster son. They have been MCJFS foster parents for 3 years and have had 3 children placed in their home.
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Meet our Families - Matt & Ashley

Meet the Grissom Family! Matt and Ashley have been married for 5 years and have a 1-year old son and 4-year old foster daughter. The Grissoms have been foster parents with MCJFS for 3 years.
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Meet our Families - Katie

Katie has been a foster parent with MCJFS for 4 years and adopted her daughter through foster care.
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Meet our Families - John & Layne

John & Layne have been a foster family with MCJFS for 8 years.
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Twenty Four in '24 Update

We'd like to share a Twenty Four in '24 progress update.
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Together We Are...

2023 Annual Report
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Take a Leap Into Foster Care

Medina County Job and Family Services is hosting a Foster Care Open House on Thursday, February 29th from 6-8pm
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Twenty Four in '24

It is our goal to license Twenty Four foster homes in '24!
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Heartwarming Holiday Moments

We have the privilege of witnessing some truly beautiful moments where our community steps up to love and care for the children within the system. We want to share some of those inspiring stories from this holiday season with you.
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Becoming a Foster Parent - Step 3: Home Study

You have completed the application, forms, and supporting documents. You have taken the preservice training courses. You are ready to begin the final stage of your licensing: the home study.
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Becoming a Foster Parent - Step 2: Training

Now that you've started the application process, it's time to sign up for the classes! Our preservice training series provides a range of topics designed to equip you to become a foster parent.
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Becoming a Foster Parent - Step 1: Application

Once you've decided to start your journey to become a foster caregiver, the first step is to begin the application process. Read to learn more about what is involved in applying to become a foster parent!
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Foster Parent Banquet

We hosted our annual Foster Parent Banquet for National Foster Care Month.
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#DadandMe Contest

Commission on Fatherhood seeking videos for #DadandMe Contest!
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Rising Up and Moving On Breakfast

On Thursday, April 27th, we hosted our annual Rising Up and Moving on breakfast for the first time since 2019. The breakfast serves to celebrate the achievements of those who have successful moved on from working with Medina County Job and Family Services; and to recognize those individuals and organizations who have helped the agency in some capacity.
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Holiday Recap

A month has passed but we are still feeling the warmth from the holidays, so we thought it would be a good opportunity to recap all of our holiday events and activities.
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Trauma-Informed Training for Foster Families

TBRI is an attachment-based, trauma-informed therapeutic model that trains caregivers to provide effective support and treatment for at-risk children. It is designed to meet the complex needs of children who have experienced adversity, early harm, toxic stress, or trauma.
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Meet Our Kinship Care Coordinator

We are so excited to welcome Cynthia into her new role at MCJFS as our first ever Kinship Care Coordinator!
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September is Grandparent and Kinship Month in Ohio

Governor DeWine and Lieutenant Governor Husted have declared September as Grandparent and Kinship Month in Ohio.
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Free Legal Clinic

The Ohio Justice Bus is a mobile legal aid office and technology hotspot that allows legal aid and pro bono attorneys to travel to and provide legal services to Ohioans at no cost to clients.
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Foster Parent Banquet

MCJFS hosted our annual Foster Parent Banquet to recognize and appreciate our amazing foster parents.
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Money Money Money

Are foster parents just in it for the money?
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#DadandMe Contest - DEADLINE EXTENDED!

State-wide contest for youth of Ohio ages 2 through 18
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Birth Family

Talking about and working with birth families in foster care can be tricky. But if we truly care about the children placed in our homes, shouldn't we care about their birth family as well?
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Our Community

Foster care can be incredibly lonely - for both foster caregivers and children in foster care. Our community has proven repeatedly that we are a caring community with big hearts and for that, we are so grateful!
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The "Both/And" of Foster Care

The world of foster care is filled with the tension of both/and feelings.
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Trauma

Child traumatic stress occurs when children and adolescents are exposed to events or situations that overwhelm their ability to cope. For many children in foster care, this includes some form of neglect or abuse in addition to the trauma of removal from their birth family, friends, school, and community.
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Former Foster Youth

After 1120 days in foster care, Mariana was adopted on 4/8/22 at age 15.
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Reunification

"I could never give them back." I often hear this – or something similar – when I tell people we foster.
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Why Foster

There are many reasons why people choose to become foster parents. Let me tell you how I became a foster parent.
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Our Foster Parents

At MCJFS, our foster parents are the key to our program's success and we want to recognize them and thank them for all they do.
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May is National Foster Care Month

May is National Foster Care Month. Through this proclamation, the Office of Families and Children joins Governor DeWine and Lieutenant Governor Husted in recognizing May as Foster Care Month in Ohio.
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Wadsworth Nonprofit Fair

We were able to share about our awesome program and the need for foster parents in Medina County at the Wadsworth Chamber of Commerce Nonprofit Fair.
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Pinwheel Walk Against Abuse

The Children's Center of Medina County hosted a Pinwheel Walk for child abuse prevention on Medina Square on Sunday.
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Raising the Bar Against Abuse Fundraising Event

Root 18 Crossfit Medina is hosting their annual "Raising the Bar Against Abuse" event to help raise funds for the Health and Human Services levy.
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New Managed Care Providers

New Managed Care Providers
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Pinwheel Garden

Thank you to the Children's Center of Medina County for planting a pinwheel garden in front of our agency. We are proud to partner with you in the month of April to raise awareness for National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
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Career Opportunities

Want to make a difference in Medina County by helping families in the community? We currently have a number of full-time career opportunities available.
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Easter Baskets

A huge thanks to the Lodi Loyal Lads and Lassies 4-H Club for the fantastic Easter baskets. These busy bunnies assembled and donated close to 100 baskets and bags filled with all sorts of snacks and treats.
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Foster Parent Training

Tonight we completed another series of our preservice training that is required to become a licensed foster parent.
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Welcome to our New Website!

Welcome to our new and improved website!
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