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MARCH 12, 2014 | 21

apists and support groups.
but learning how to handle that situa-
By supporting the family this way,
tion if it arises is a major part of the pre-
any problems the child may have or de- licensing training foster parents receive,
velop can be dealt with and the child she said.
doesn’t have to move.
Along with developing more stable
Nicole Grossberg, the regional ad- environments for children, the Full
ministrator for DPHHS Child and Fam- Family Foster Care program is also aim-
ily Services Western Region 5, said there ing to be an emergency foster care op-

has been an increase in the number of tion for the Flathead. There’s no longer
kids in care.
a children’s shelter in Kalispell for kids
“The good thing we’re doing is we’re younger than 10, who are typically sent
getting a lot better at kinship place- to Watson’s Children Shelter in Missou-
ments,” Grossberg said. “We look for la.
that option irst, then we look for foster Families trained through FFFC
homes.”
would be ready to take in these little

DPHHS went to the Flathead for the ones, McDonald and Morrissey said, be-
Full Family Foster Care trial because cause they are prepared to keep a child
the community is so responsive to the anywhere from two days to 20 years.
needs of children, she said.
Following the irst 30 days with a
“There are a lot of people I believe in foster family in the FFFC program, the
the Flathead who want to help,” Gross- child goes through a psychological as-
berg said.
sessment to see if he or she has speciic
FitzGerald, the Intermountain CEO, needs. If so, the family is given more

said neglect is the top reason children support, Morrissey said, and the child
are removed from their homes, and stays put.
drugs or alcohol are usually involved. The goal is to be able to have a trained
Lately, Montana has been trending back and licensed family a phone call away
toward more removals.
in an emergency situation, and if an ar-
“We have more kids in out-of-home rangement cannot be made with any of
care than ever before,” FitzGerald said.
the child’s family members or anyone

He and Dee Incoronato, the chief else the child’s social worker might have
strategy oicer for Intermountain, were in mind, the program moves forward
in Kalispell last week for a series of dis- with supporting and stabilizing the fos-
cussions with local community leaders ter family.
who work with children, such as thera- Full Family Foster Care would just
pists, teachers, and judges, to get a feel PHOTO BY GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
serve children from the Flathead, Mor-
for what is happening in the Flathead rissey said. Other placements, such as
and how Intermountain can best serve
those through the organization’s thera-

t
“WHEN IT COMES TO FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION, A LOT peutic foster care program, could in- Nhe community.
clude more children, already in the sys-
OF PEOPLE THINK SOMEBODY ELSE HAS THAT COVERED. tem and possibly from diferent commu- ow 17 and a junior in high school,
nities, who need a placement.
Lexi is a sharp, funny young
Since its launch in October, the FFFC woman. She’ll be the irst to tell
you she’s brutally honest, and will bring THE PROBLEM IS, THEY DON’T.” Adam Morrissey, Intermountain
program has licensed three families and
up stories of how tough she is, telling placed eight local children.
stories about scraps she’s gotten into “I do think it has a lot of promise,”

with other girls.
FitzGerald said.
It’s not hard to see she’s developed McDonald and Morrissey said there Though Lexi has only been with Pat making choices for her for 14 years.
a thick, protective shell, which Pat says are diferent types of fostering that peo- for about a year, Pat said she’s seen the Whatever comes next for Lexi, wher-
was an adaptive necessity, given the vol- ple can be licensed for, such as respite teenager become more centered and ever she goes, for the irst time in her life,
atile environment in which she grew up. care – taking kids for a scheduled time self-conident; she’s dependable and she’ll be there because she chose it.
But once you get past the prickliness and to give their foster family some time to honest, always making curfew on the A
posturing, Lexi is kind and open, with an regroup – or full-time care.
weekends. It doesn’t take much to help t Intermountain, Morrissey

ainity for cats and country music. She Many people have the strength of a child thrive, Pat said; basics like kind- said he has tried to ind adop-
revels in the approval of a job well done, heart for foster care, Morrissey said, ness, respect, consistency, and bound- tive homes in the Flathead for six
whether it’s from the staf at Flathead but believe the inancial strain would aries can go a long way. She’s seen Lexi children and foster placements for an-
High School who monitor her job as a be too much. However, foster children become more of a normal teenager, one other six children from Western Mon-
guidance oice aide, or from her boss at come with a monthly stipend to help de- who doesn’t have to worry about adult tana since the beginning of the year, but
a local fast food restaurant.
fer their costs, though it’s not enough to concerns just yet. It was a bit of a chal- to no avail.
She’s not shy about her past, and ac- supplement the foster family’s income, lenge getting Lexi to understand that Bernie McDonald, the assistant co-
knowledges that her trials in life have McDonald stressed, meaning no one she’s not on her own anymore and that ordinator at Intermountain’s therapeu-

taught her some valuable lessons. Cop- should foster children for the inancial she can give up some of that control, Pat tic group home, named the Providence
ing skills she learned at the group home incentive.
said, but it’s getting better.
Home, said the prospect of foster care
have helped her keep her temper and “Those people are usually weeded “It’s nice to see her grow and enjoy can be daunting for many people. She is
stay out of trouble, and seeing the hav- out pretty fast,” she said.
friends, to see her mature,” Pat said.
well-versed in the pros and cons of tak-
oc wreaked on her mother’s life, Lexi Intermountain needs a minimum of For Lexi, the adoption hasn’t quite ing in children, having fostered more
knows it’s easier not having a criminal three families to start its next training registered for her as something difer- than 65 children in the Flathead over 13
record.
for the FFFC program. Anyone interest- ent. She said she’s stopped caring about years with her husband.

Lexi thinks the foster care system ed is asked to call Morrissey at 406-249- a lot of things in life, because once you The McDonalds ended up adopting
is headed in the right direction with its 8846. No decisions need to be made on care, there’s the chance to get hurt. Pat two of those children. They also have
goal of moving children less frequently, the phone, and it’s a good time to answer hopes to quiet some of those fears by biological children.
and she hopes kids in the Flathead get questions and dispel myths, he said.
sticking with Lexi, no matter what, be- Many of the fears potential foster
the helpful, supportive, and stable foster “I really believe that everybody can cause that’s what a family should do.
families harbor can be dispelled, Mc-
families they deserve.
take care of at least one child,” McDon- In two months, Lexi will be 18. She’s Donald said, though there are challeng-
After she graduates, Lexi plans on ald said. “I don’t have enough adjectives looking forward to the freedom of being es. Some of the children have psycholog-
attending Flathead Valley Community for how fulilling my life has been with a legal adult. She’ll still live with Pat for ical needs, and many have either been

College, then following that up with time my children.”
her senior year of high school, but she neglected or abused. Sexual abuse is also
in a college program for 911 dispatchers.
[email protected]
won’t be under the system that has been
a factor in many of these children’s lives,