The Foster Care Program provides foster care licensing for Indian families on and near the Leech Lake Reservation. The Foster Care Program seeks extended family members or other Indian families to care for children who need to be placed out of the home until the child can be reunified with their family. These homes are intended to provide a short-term, safe and stable environment for children while their family works to improve the conditions that resulted in the out of home placement.
A license to operate a foster care home must be obtained through the Leech Lake Child Welfare Commission. Following is the criteria to be licensed for foster care:
- The foster care residence must be located on or near the Leech Lake Reservation;
- The applicant, or applicant’s spouse, must be an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe;
- The applicant shall be the primary provider of care in the residence and who shall be legally responsible for the operation of the residence;
- All foster care parents shall be at least twenty-one years old at the time of licensure;
- Applicants and household members must pass a Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) background check, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI-Adam Walsh) criminal background check, a Social Service Child Maltreatment background check and a substance abuse test.
Eligibility Requirements
- Eligible applicants must be at least 21 years of age and reside within 60 miles of the Leech Lake Reservation boundaries
- Must pass criminal and social service background checks and substance abuse test
- If applicant resides within the LL Reservation boundaries, applicant or applicant’s spouse must be a member of a federally recognized tribe
- If applicant resides outside of the LL Reservation boundaries, applicant or applicant’s spouse must be a member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
Intake Procedure
- Call for more information
- Appointment needed