Episode 15: Diligent Recruitment - Regional Resource Navigators

The challenges of recruiting, retaining, and supporting foster and adoptive families that reflect the ethnic diversity of children awaiting placement may differ across a state's rural, urban and tribal communities. Cultural differences may require separate strategies to engage and inform families with a willingness to open their homes to children awaiting placement. As part of the Children's Bureau's Diligent Recruitment discretionary grant cluster, one agency embarked on developing a region-specific approach to improving their communication and support to prospective foster families.

This podcast provides details about the New Mexico Regional Resource Navigator program. This program assigns navigators to work exclusively with specific regions of the state to guide families through the assessment and licensing processes. By enhancing communication and developing relationships between navigators and prospective foster families, the program intends to increase the number of available foster families throughout the state.

'Diligent Recruitment - Regional Resource Navigators' features the following individuals:

• Rosaisela Burciaga, Bureau Chief, Foster Care & Adoptions, New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department
• Renee Fitts, Foster Care Program Manager, New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department
• Allison Bouren, New Mexico Regional Resource Navigator

This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud. Subscribe to receive new episodes as they are released.