Care staff have put together the following resource guide to make sure you have everything you need to make the home you manage a happy one.
Continued County Support
Staff in the Foster Care Licensing Unit work to educate, license and guide people through the process of completing the necessary requirements to foster children in the State of North Carolina. They also coordinate ongoing educational opportunities and create a supportive environment for current foster parents.
Our Licensing Unit strives for excellence through responsive customer service and individualized ongoing support for those that go the extra mile for kids. Our ultimate goal is to secure and support a safe and quality foster or adoptive home for children in foster care in Buncombe County.
Foster Child Clothing Closet
Buncombe County Health and Human Services has a stock of donated clothes and supplies HHS foster parents can take, free of charge. For information on how to access the foster child clothing closet, email amy.huntsman@buncombecounty.org.
LINKS
The purpose of LINKS is to build a network of relevant services with youth so that they will have ongoing connections with family, friends, mentors, the community, employment, education, financial assistance, skills training, and other resources to facilitate the transition to adulthood. LINKS services can assist with learning about accessing funding to college and post-secondary education, purchasing a car, maintaining car insurance, accessing Medicaid funded health care and much more.
Any young person who aged out of foster care or left foster care after the age of 14 may be eligible for LINKS services. For more information about LINKS, email links@buncombecounty.org or call 828-424-8050.
18-21
Foster Care 18 to 21 is a program that offers young adults opportunities to continue foster care placement and transition to independence with county child welfare agency supervision. There are some young adults who may not be ready to exit foster care upon turning 18 years of age, and may choose to stay in Foster Care 18 to 21 as long as certain requirements are met. Young adults who exit foster care at age 18 are also able to return to the Foster Care 18 to 21 program at a later date as long as they have not reached their 21st birthday.
18 to 21 Services Include:
- Assisting with foster care maintenance payments ($634/month) to help with rent and other utility bills
- Assist in development and implementation of a transitional living plan to meet goals driven by the young adult
- Ongoing monthly support and advocacy to assist with independent living skills, employment and educational goals
- Housing search and transportation assistance
- Referral to community helping agencies
- Help accessing LINKS services
For more information about the 18-21 program, check out our brochure or reach out to links@buncombecounty.org or call 828-424-8050.
Health Insurance
According to the affordable care act, all children in foster care are eligible for Medicaid until their 26th birthday. For more information, reach out to one of our Medicaid support specialists at (828) 250-5646 or visit our website.
Day Care
Buncombe County Health and Human Services contracts with Southwestern Child Development Commission to provide the children we serve with the best day care services available. To find the day care services that are right for your family, visit their website. Child care vouchers may be available to you with placement of a foster child.
Food
Additional BCHHS services may be able to help you save money while still putting plenty of food on the table. WIC is a federally funded program that helps millions of families across the US provide healthy food options to families. To find out if you qualify for WIC services, visit them on the web or call (828) 250-5000.
SNAP benefits are offered to qualified families and provide a monthly allotment of food stamp benefits issued via electronic benefit transfer cards (ATM cards). For more information on SNAP benefits, visit us on the web or call (828) 250-5500.
Buncombe County Foster Parent Manual
To help you understand fostering better, we have created the Buncombe County Foster Parent Manual. This document will provide you with all the information you need about being a licensed foster parent for the county, what supports exist for you and your foster child(ren) and how you can support your foster community.
Buncombe County Kinship Care Support Manual
To help you understand kinship care better, we have created the Kinship Support Book This document will provide you with all the information you need about being a resource parent for the county, what supports exist for you and your child(ren), and how you can become a licensed foster home.