STEUBENVILLE — If you’re thinking about becoming a foster parent — or are simply curious about what is involved — the Jefferson County Department of Job and Family Services wants to talk with you.

JFS has scheduled a recruitment event for May 28 at the Schiappa branch of the Jefferson County Public Library beginning at 6 p.m. Organizers say it will provide residents an opportunity to “discover the steps to becoming a foster parent, the support available and the urgent need for caring families.”

“There’s a foster care crisis across the State of Ohio,” said JFS’s Janelle Miller. “It’s not just Jefferson County, it’s the entire state. There’s a great need for foster homes (across) the state, but especially here in Jefferson County.”

Statewide, more than 16,000 children are in foster care with only 7,200 licensed foster families available.

“As we take kids into custody we would like to keep them here, in their community and in their school,” Miller said. “Transitioning is difficult when you move (kids) into a new environment, they have to start over. Keeping kids in their community lessens their trauma.”

The recruitment event will be informational, with staff on hand “to answer questions for anybody interested in foster care or if they’re unsure how the process works.”

Representatives from community resources for foster families also will attend to discuss services that can help make foster parenting easier. Participating organizations include A Caring Place Child Advocacy Center, AIM Women’s Center, COAD4Kids, Sycamore Center, Jefferson County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Jefferson County Educational Service Center, Jefferson County General Health District, Jefferson County Juvenile Court and the Jefferson County Prevention and Recovery Board.

“The goal is to try to have a night of information that can be provided in the community,” Rupert-Warren said. “Hopefully we can recruit foster families in the county.”

Rupert-Warren, who has been a foster parent herself many times over, said fostering is a meaningful way to help children and the community.

“I had 23 children,” she said. “In fact, I adopted my youngest daughter 22 year ago — her biological mother had actually been my foster child, so in a sense I was her foster grandmother.”

Rupert-Warren said it is important for foster parents — and those considering becoming foster parents — to know there is a strong support network available to help them and that they are not alone.

“If they have questions, we can help answer those questions,” she said.

For more information about the event, contact Miller at 740-792-1905.