Our Mission:

The mission of the Kentucky Foster & Adoptive Parent Training Support Network is to work hand-in-hand with the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) and community partners to recruit, retain, strengthen and support foster and adoptive families in becoming stable, secure and permanent homes for abused and neglected children.

The Network’s mission is based on three goals:  Support, Training and Recruitment.  

• We offer free and confidential peer support to resource parents by resource parents across the state. 

• Each team is required to provide at least 12 hours of training per fiscal year to resource parents in their region from a parent’s perspective.

• Network teams work with DCBS and Cabinet staff to recruit new foster and adoptive homes for the children in their regions.

Our Composition:

The Network is made up of 16 resource parent-led teams across the state.  The teams range from three to seven members and include a leader, members, a community resource specialist and alternates (volunteers). 

All Network members are experienced resource parents or professionals from the mental health, law enforcement or another related area and are trained and certified in Peer Support/Psychological First Aid by the Kentucky Community Crisis Response Board.

Each team also has a staff representative from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services Department for Community Based Services.  These representatives link the team with community partners, attend team meetings and assist in publicizing Network activities and training among other duties.

Our History:

The Network was founded by the Kentucky Foster/Adoptive Care Association in 1999 as a pilot project.  The pilot project began in January 2000 in the Jefferson, Purchase, Pennyrile and Cumberland Valley regions.  Later in 2000, Murray State University’s Training Resource Center began providing assistance with the administrative aspect of the Network, including a coordinator supporting and facilitating the teams.  Since that time the position has expanded to two coordinators, who divide the responsibility of working with the teams.