WHO WE ARE
Fostering Forward Michigan is a dedicated non-profit organization committed to enhancing the lives of children in foster care across Michigan. Our mission is to advocate for the needs of these vulnerable youths, providing them with resources, support, and a community that empowers them. We believe every child deserves a safe and nurturing environment, and we strive to create pathways that lead to brighter futures. Our team is made up of passionate individuals who share a common goal: to uplift and inspire the next generation.
WHAT WE DO
Empowering FAK Families
At Fostering Forward Michigan, we offer a range of services aimed at supporting foster children and families. Our programs include mentorship opportunities, educational resources, and community engagement initiatives designed to foster resilience and growth. We work closely with foster families, social workers, and local organizations to ensure that every child has access to the tools they need to thrive. Through advocacy and support, we aim to make a positive impact in the lives of those we serve.
What We Do:
ADVOCACY
We are the collective voice of foster, adoptive and kinship parents throughout Michigan. Our volunteers talk to community members and field phone calls, emails and posts from families across the state to identify trends and problems. We then work hard to bring local and state level attention to these community wide issues.
Top 10 Michigan Foster Family Advocacy Issues
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Daycare Benefits Access
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Payment Issues
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Access to Trauma Training
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Reducing Re-placements (foster children moving home to home)
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Medical Coverage Delays and Interruptions
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Serving Children in Residential Settings
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LGAL Involvement
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Mental Health Therapy Access
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Respite
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DOC Delays
SUPPORT
Our Parent-to-parent Support Helpline is answered by experienced parents who are volunteering their time to connect with member families in need. You can call to ask a question or request support by phone, email or Facebook. We have many experienced families in our network who are willing to partner with families in need.
Types of Support Offered:
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Parent-to-Parent Listening Partner - We provide a fellow foster, adoptive or kinship parent who has been trained to listen and encourage families who are experiencing difficulties.
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Assist in Escalation through Chain of Command - We can help you troubleshoot your payment, medicare or agency grievance by identifying relevant policy and system supports. We can assist in identifying supervisor, director and higher chain of command email and phone numbers when ongoing issues are unresolved.
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Family Matching - We will match your specialized needs with other families who have had similar experiences.
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IEP Support- We can make referrals, provide information and attend meetings as a support partner.
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Special Evaluation Support - We can provide support, guide you through policy and attend investigation interviews and Foster Parent Review Board hearings as your support person.
INFORMATION
Fostering Forward Michigan is dedicated to the equal and accurate sharing of important information that can impact the quality of life for foster families and families who have adopted through foster care. We have published a number of parent-to-parent tutorials on important topics that can be found in our parent-to-parent pages and we strive to disseminate information from other resources and organizations so that it is readily available to all families within our community.
​COMMUNITY
One of the best ways to cultivate our collective voice is to create a strong community among foster, adoptive and kinship families. Our families need ongoing support so they can successfully navigate the many challenges and transitions that the system inevitably brings into the household. One of the best ways for families to access this kind of support is through local support groups and family-to-family connections. Fostering Forward Michigan is dedicated to connecting families with active support groups, free or low cost family group activities and one-on-one family connections.