Learn More About Foster Care

Each year, hundreds of Iowa children are in need of a foster family, but there are not enough foster homes in western Iowa to immediately provide them with a safe, loving home environment.

When children are placed in foster care, their whole world is turned upside down. They are forced to say goodbye to their family, their friends, and their school. If there is no foster home immediately available, the instability continues and they must live in a shelter until a home is found for them.

Children may enter foster care for different reasons, but each child has experienced the trauma of being removed from their home. Kids in foster care are just like any other kid. They come from all cultures and ethnicities; they can be toddlers or teenagers; they can be an only child or part of a sibling group. To help them cope during this difficult time, Iowa foster families must do everything they can to maintain a sense of normalcy. That means helping children stay connected to their friends, churches, schools, and activities. It means becoming educated about their culture and learning about their favorite foods, music, or traditions. 

Iowa needs a wide range of families in every western Iowa county. Foster parents must be at least 21 years old, but they can be single, cohabitating, married, living in multi-generational family homes, and homes with or without biological children. They can be employed or stay-at-home parents. They can be homeowners, renters, and pet owners. Foster parents are individuals of all cultures and ethnicities, all walks of life, and all sexual orientations.

Foster parents are tasked with remembering the primary goal of foster care is reunification. The best thing for a child is to be reunited with their family of origin, but only when it is safe to do so. Foster parents provide care and love to a child while their parents get the support and resources they need to safely welcome their child back to a happier, healthier home.

If your family is interested in fostering, LSI Foster Care and Adoption is offering an orientation for families to learn more about foster parenting options. This orientation will be held on Tuesday, February 18, at 6 p.m. in the Horn Memorial Hospital Conference Center. If you have any questions, please contact fosteradopt@LSIowa.org.

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Radon Awareness

Radon is a colorless, tasteless and odorless gas that affects indoor air quality in every state.  Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and is responsible for 21,000 deaths annually in the U.S. 

Radon gas forms naturally from Uranium in the soil and rocks.  Uranium breaks down to form radium, which then breaks down to form radon gas.  Radon gas enters homes and buildings through basement floors, cracks in foundations, walls, and other openings.  Once trapped indoors, radon gas can rise to dangerous concentrations.  As the radon gas decays, it releases radioactive byproducts, that when inhaled, can cause lung cancer.

There are no immediate health symptoms from exposure to radon gas.  Continued exposure to high levels increases ones risk of developing lung cancer.  Smoking and exposure to high levels of radon gas greatly increase the risk of lung cancer.

Radon levels are elevated in every state.  Iowa counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L).  Every home is different.  Your home can be elevated while your neighbor’s is not.  The Environmental Protection Agency recommends fixing homes with levels greater than 4 pCi/L and considering fixing homes with levels between 2 and 4 pCi/L. 

Testing is easy and inexpensive.  Most tests last between 2 and 7 days and cost less than $25.  Test kits can be purchased through the Ida County Emergency Manager, Ed Sohm, by calling 364.2533 or at most local home improvement or hardware stores, online, or by calling the Radon Hotline at 1-800-383-5992.