One harsh reality of the pandemic often goes unnoticed: the continued need for foster parents. Similar to many regions across the state, eastern Oregon faces a critical shortage of foster homes for youth in need. Unlike many other areas, however, these rural and frontier communities have a history of joining together to address complex challenges facing their most vulnerable populations. We donât see it as an âagencyâ problem to fix but rather find support through community collaborations and from the care of foster families. In Oregon, an average of 7,345 children are in foster care on a daily basis, according to state data from 2019. Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc. (GOBHI) has a Foster Care program that provides homes for youth in local communities involved in the Child Welfare system or for those youth being supported by their local community mental health program. Our agency certifies foster families and works in partnership with the Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare (ODHS) to provide additional support services to youth and our foster families.