A Harney County family believes in
the power of foster care and adoption

By Debbie Raney
Burns Times-Herald

At this very moment there are more than 70 children in Oregon waiting and wishing for a permanent family and place to forever call home. There are single children as well as sibling groups, infants as well as teenagers, and healthy as well as medically challenged kids who all have one common bond — due to circumstances they could not control, they are now in the state’s system, and they need homes.

Margaret Amara, Supervisor for Child Welfare for Harney County Department of Human Services said that Harney County and Oregon is in need of more foster and adoptive parents.

“There are children all over the state whose families were unable to care for them,” said Amara. “Do we do adoptions in Harney County? Yes!”

Cammie and Richard Roy of Burns have been fostering children through the DHS since 2001. In addition, the Roys have two adopted children, with one more adoption in the works. The adopted children join the Roy’s three birth children at the family home outside of Burns.

Cammie said she had originally just wanted to offer a foster home to children, but as an adopted child himself, Richard saw more for the future. The Roys’ first adoption was a boy, who they learned during the process had a little sister. The paperwork was immediately set in motion for the younger sibling to join the family as well. Within a year’s time, the Roy family had grown by two. By July, they hope to have their third adoption complete.

Offering their home to other children required change and adaptation for the Roy’s birth children, but, said Cammie, it’s the same if a child is born into a family. “Whether through birth or adoption, adjustments have to be made. We had a lot of communication.”

Said Amara, “It’s different, but the same.”

Both Cammie and Amara suggest that parents offer foster homes first, and then consider adoption. This, they said, allows the families to adjust to the issues that can arise, and find out if they are suited to be adoptive parents. Said Cammie, “It takes a lot of commitment.” Commitment not only to the children, but to the process. For the Roys, getting from the original placement to adoption finalization took two years.

“Sometimes you think, ‘why are you doing this?’ but then you see what the child brings to you,” said Cammie.

Harney County currently has 20 licensed foster homes, but, according to Amara, there are times all of the available homes are full. “We’re always in need. We need help to take care of kids needing a safe and healthy place.”

To become licensed to foster children, homes and parents must meet standards set by the state of Oregon. Each hopeful foster parent must also attend classes.

To adopt a child, parents and homes must meet the same standards. Once approved, parents can request adoption of a child or children, and then a state committee decides what is in the best interest of the child/children. “The goal is to best meet the child’s needs,” said Amara. Adoption can be made through the DHS, or through a private company.

Both Amara and Cammie agree on one thing — once a family decides to foster or adopt, they must be committed to follow through. “There can be glitches, paperwork, frustration and waiting,” said Cammie. But the reward at the end is worth the wait — especially for the children who no longer have to wish for a place to forever call home.