The Holiday Season inspires many people to donate their time or money to better the world, but what about offering a child a warm and loving home, a security many children lack this holiday season? Border Area Mental Health Services (BAMHS) is trying to offer that security by aiding children in finding a better life with the Treatment Foster Care Program, a program that helps keep children in families, not in facilities or institutions.

But to keep children in families, the Treatment Foster Care program needs more community members willing to offer their time and love as foster parents. “Our program is so successful it is growing fast,” said Marsha Bowman, supervisor for the Treatment Foster Care program, “We can only have one child per one foster parent because of the quality of service we want to insure for the child.”

The program offers a warm, loving, stable family for children in transition to reunification with their families of origin or adoptive families. “Reunification is always Number One on our priorities,” said Bowman, “These are children with special needs, mostly inappropriate behaviors that need extra care.”

The first step to offer that extra care is a foster family willing to open their home and hearts to a child. Also, extra care means a little extra commitment from the family. Each foster parent to the program receives free 40-hours of training in being a foster parent. BAMHS offers a 24-hour call-in-support line staffed with professionals for foster parents in their program for aid. Also monthly financial compensation and incentive bonuses are offered to foster parents.

To qualify as a foster parent in the Treatment Foster Care Program you must be at least 25 years old and have a valid New Mexico driver’s license. You must own a car and have adequate income other than public assistance. Also you should have adequate bedroom space for a child. You must pass a local and state background check. It may all sound daunting, but BAMHS helps guide prospective foster parents every step of the way.

It isn’t that much to do to make a difference in the life of a child-- a difference that can last forever.

Plus, you won’t be parenting alone. Bowman says, “We use a team philosophy with every child. Every month we meet with the entire ‘family’ of the child. The child, foster parents, teachers, our counselors and anyone involved in the child’s life is invited to the meeting to work on the child’s goals. We are here for the child, and the child knows that.”

“This is an opportunity for the child to have one-on-one time, and a team of professionals help them. The child has choices and a safe environment to learn news ways of coping, “ says Bowman. All this comes from having a caring foster family to lean on and learn with.

To join the Treatment Foster Care program as a professional parent and change the life of a child for the better call Marsha Bowman at (505) 574-4637. New foster parent classes start soon so this would be the perfect time to sign up and change tomorrow by helping a child today.

To reach Border Area Mental Health Services in Grant and Hidalgo Counties, call 388-4412; in Catron County, call 533-6649 for referral; in Luna County, call 546-2174.  For CRISIS, call 538-3488 or outside Silver City, call 1-800-426-0997