The Mihms: Reaching Out to Troubled Teens
(Photo/Melanie J Studios)
Dave and Maria Mihm originally considered becoming foster parents because they thought it would be good practice for when they had children of their own. But when they learned they would be unable to have biological children, they decided to look into fostering long term.
Oregon Youth Authority
The agency they chose to foster through was the Oregon Youth Authority. It is part of the state’s juvenile justice agency. The program’s focus is teenagers and young adults ages 12 to 24. It’s different from regular foster care in that it is part of the state’s juvenile justice agency. “All the children have gotten in trouble, so they all have a parole officer,” Maria said.
Besides having been in legal trouble, many of the youth struggle with substance abuse and alcohol. However, to take part in the program, the youth must be finished or nearly finished with treatment and show by their behavior that they are ready to move into a home.
Some teenagers in Oregon Youth Authority foster care will eventually return home to their families. However, others do not have a safe home to return to and will stay in their foster home to learn the life skills they need to live on their own one day.
(Photo/Melanie J Studios)
*Not his real name
A Full House
Dave and Maria currently have three teenage boys in their home. The justice agency generally prefers to place just one or two children in a home. However, the number allowed depends, in part, on parents’ skill levels and what they can offer the youth.
The couple are well equipped to care for their boys. Maria studied child psychology in college and Dave is a special education teacher who works with high school students in a social and emotional growth program. He said a lot of his students are similar to the boys in their home. “I’m in the principal’s office all the time,” he quipped.
When they started fostering, Maria was working but soon decided to quit and be a full-time parent, Dave said. She has plenty to keep her busy with ongoing training, appointments related to the boys’ legal situations, therapy sessions and everything else it takes to meet the needs of their family, he said.
Unofficial Adoptions
Oregon Youth Authority does not allow foster parents to legally adopt the young adults they care for. But the Mihms said they “unofficially adopted” two boys who are now adults. The men consider Maria and Dave their parents as well as the grandparents of their children.
(Photo/Melanie J Studios)
Find the Oregon Youth Authority certifier for your county.
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