PHOENIX — For the first time since 2009, licensed foster families in Arizona are receiving a pay raise.
It's a move state leaders say could help strengthen the foster care system and encourage more families to open their homes.
On December 1, Governor Katie Hobbs approved a 50% increase in daily reimbursement rates. The pay raise is for licensed foster families taking care of children ages six and older. The move is being funded through the Arizona Department of Child Safety budget.
ABC15 Mornings Anchor Kaley O'Kelley went to The Foster Alliance in Phoenix to learn more about the community resource offering help beyond that paycheck.
The Arizona non-profit is focused on filling the financial gaps that come with being a foster care family.
Maureen Noe is the President and CEO of The Foster Alliance. She tells O'Kelley, this is the first reimbursement increase Arizona foster families have seen in longer than a decade.
“Costs have continued to rise, and this is an important step toward supporting the families who are opening their homes to kids.”
Depending on a child’s level of care, the financial increase can mean up to $1,700 per month, per child.
Because children often enter foster care with little notice and few belongings, The Foster Alliance helps families from day one by providing new beds and bedding, clothing, school supplies, personal care items, and so much more, removing immediate barriers to help families focus on stability and care. Everything available is donated by community members and businesses, and all of it is provided free of charge.
Advocates say the combination of increased state support and strong community resources could help potential families say yes to fostering, offering children a safer place to land when they need it most.
O’Kelley sat down with a new foster mom, Angelica Varga, who remembers the night her family got the call.
Her foster child was a newborn who arrived a few hours later with almost nothing.
“I had one bottle with no milk, and no diapers,” Varga said. That’s when she called The Foster Alliance for help.
“No questions asked,” she said. “They told me to come in and get whatever I needed.”
“These kids deserve new things,” Noe said.
She describes the work as a bridge, connecting state funding with real-life needs that don’t wait for paperwork or paychecks.
“The state is doing what they need to do,” Noe said. “This is the opportunity for the community to come alongside the state.”
For Varga, the support has helped her family find confidence in a role they’re still learning to navigate.
“I don’t know if we would be able to do this without that support,” she said. “It’s so nice to have these kind people a phone call away.”
And the impact goes far beyond finances. Varga tells O’Kelley that fostering has changed her entire household, and especially her children.
Her kindergartner recently came home from school with a drawing.
“She said, ‘Can I put my foster brother in here?’” Varga recalled. “Because he is my brother.”
Noe says Arizona still needs more licensed foster families. Thousands of children enter the system every year through no fault of their own. Many are now living in group homes waiting for safe and stable families to open their hearts and homes.
Advocates hope the pay increase helps remove one barrier, but stories like Varga’s show that community support is what helps potential families take that final step.
To donate or volunteer, contact The Foster Alliance at 480-889-0604 or online.
