Foster Care Awareness Month – ‘The Work Behind the Commitment’

This is a press release from Mendocino County, CA:

May is Foster Care Awareness Month – a time to challenge common misconceptions about foster care and recognize the people who step in to support children, youth, and families navigating the child welfare system.

Resource and adoptive parent Jason Hanover understands that this work requires consistency, accountability, and a willingness to show up—especially when situations are complex. In 2016, he became licensed to care for three relative children between the ages of 9 and 15. He hadn’t planned on becoming a parent, but as he puts it, “What began as an obligation became a privilege.”

Four years later, Jason was asked to take in four siblings who otherwise could have been separated or placed outside the region. At the time, he was already parenting a four-year-old son. He agreed to the emergency placement and renewed his license.

During that case, Jason worked closely with both the children and their parents toward reunification. Like many families involved in child welfare, the parents were struggling with addiction. Jason recalls a turning point during a Child & Family Team (CFT) meeting: “Dad kept asking what he needed to do. I told him directly—he needed to get sober.” Over the next several months, Jason stayed engaged with the family and ultimately advocated in court for reunification. Eight months after placement, the children returned home. Today, that family is stable—pursuing higher education, purchasing a home, and raising their children in a safe environment.

That experience influenced Jason’s own path. He shifted his focus from criminal justice to social work and is now preparing to graduate from Chico State University with a Bachelor of Social Work, with plans to continue on to a master’s program.

Since then, Jason has continued fostering and has adopted five children, with another adoption anticipated this year. His experience includes caring for a teen parent and her baby, supporting a transgender youth, and providing respite care.

He emphasizes that foster care is not just about temporary placement—it’s about supporting families and advocating for reunification whenever possible. “At the end of the day, parents miss their kids,” he says. “Respect and clear communication matter. Sometimes families don’t feel like they have a voice.”

For those considering becoming resource parents, his advice is straightforward: “Do it. And don’t be afraid to advocate—family voices can get lost in the system.”

In addition to parenting and completing his degree, Jason volunteers with the Lake and Mendocino County Toys for Tots program and works as a Social Worker with Lake County Social Services.

Foster care is complex work. It requires commitment, patience, and the ability to navigate difficult situations—but as Jason’s experience shows, it can also create meaningful, lasting outcomes for children and families.

If you are interested in learning more about fostering, please visit the County of Mendocino website at https://www.mendocinocounty.gov/departments/social-services/children-s-services/foster-care or call (707) 463-7990.