09/30/2026
So thankful for Laynie’s voice that speaks for every foster parent, non-profit agency and child experiencing foster care. 💙
These numbers and this gap tell a powerful story, a story that it’s time we pay attention to.
As a foundation, we believe advancing social justice should be a shared commitment between our staff and the nonprofits we serve. This morning, one of our program officers Laynie Gottsch testified at Senator Dossett’s interim study at the state capitol, advocating for the first increase in foster parent reimbursement rates since 2018. Laynie is an experienced foster parent, and has personally witnessed the financial struggles that foster parents experience when they take a placement without adequate reimbursement.
Four in 10 Oklahoma foster parents quit within 12 months due to burnout, loss of support and financial strain. The annual reimbursement rate for children ages 0-5 is $6,372, while the annual cost to raise a child in Oklahoma is $19,500. That leaves a $13,000 gap, often filled by churches, nonprofits, friends & family, and foster parents’ personal finances.
The cost of inadequate foster capacity doesn’t disappear, it moves somewhere else: to the state, to children, and to foster families.
If you or someone you know is a foster parent, be there for them, advocate for them, and support them. If you are interested in a full list of foster care agencies, visit okfosters.org/agencies
