How to Become a Foster Parent in Michigan (2026)

At any given time, there are about 10,000 kids in Michigan’s foster care system. While reunification with their biological families is always the state’s primary goal, foster parents play a crucial role in supporting local children until their families are ready for them to come home. Moreover, approximately 200 of those 10,000 children have no identifiable biological families and need someone to look after them permanently. 

This guide will provide step-by-step instructions on how to become a foster parent in Michigan. We will cover basic requirements, each part of the process, financial support, and where you can find official state resources. 

The Need for Foster Homes in Michigan

The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) is the official state agency in charge of the state’s foster care system. Foster parents are the core of the system, providing loving care to the state’s children until they are ready to rejoin their biological families. 

MDHHS also operates the Foster Care Navigator Program, which is a network of experienced foster parents that are available to guide prospective foster parents through the fostering process. 

No matter the circumstances that lead to foster care, Michigan needs dedicated foster parents to help care for the state’s youth, especially in major cities like Detroit. MDHHS also notes there is currently a high need for foster families for teens, sibling groups, and children with special needs. 

Foster Parent Requirements in Michigan

• Age: You must be at least 18 years old to become a foster parent in Michigan. 
• Residency: You can be a homeowner or renter, but you must be a resident of Michigan. The home you live in must also meet certain guidelines and pass an inspection during the home study process. 
• Marital Status: You can be single, married, in a relationship, and/or LGBTQ+ and become a foster parent in Michigan. 
• Financial Stability: You must have sufficient income to meet your own family’s needs and show that you are able to manage that income. 
• Health: All household members must show that they have the physical, mental, and emotional health to care for a child. During the home study process, you will have to complete medical records for your entire family. 
• Background Checks: All adults in the home must pass fingerprint-based state and federal criminal background checks, including a child abuse and neglect registry check in all states.
• Home Environment: Before earning your license, you must complete an on-site home evaluation by a trained member of the licensing agency through which you foster. This process will also include interviews. 
• Training: You must complete a 20 to 25-hour pre-service training program, which is free of charge. 

How to Become a Foster Parent in Michigan: The Step-by-Step Process

1. Contact a Navigator: The first step in the process is to contact one of Michigan's Foster Care Navigators, all of whom are seasoned foster parents. These Navigators can answer questions and help you choose an agency that offers the right fit for you. 
2. Attend an Orientation: After your conversation with your Navigator, you can find a virtual or in-person orientation session at a location near you. This orientation reviews guidelines and expectations for prospective foster parents, and representatives are there to answer questions. The state provides an orientation calendar that makes finding a session easy. 
3. Complete the Application: Once you've chosen an agency, they will provide you with an application. In addition to forms, the application process typically involves fingerprint-based background checks and medical records. 
4. Participate in Pre-Service Training: All prospective foster parents in Michigan must complete 20 to 25 hours of GROW pre-service training. Michigan's Foster Care Navigator Program website provides a schedule of available sessions. GROW is an acronym that stands for the following four competencies:
   • Grow culturally responsive relationships
   • Recognize children's developmental needs and the impact of trauma
   • Obtain information and resources
   • Work in partnership with families to support healthy relationships
5. Complete the Home Evaluation: A licensing agent will meet with you and your family multiple times for home visits and interviews. Your home must provide adequate space for each child, including no less than 40 square feet of personal space. Your pets must be vaccinated and you must have working smoke alarms on each floor and near sleeping areas. Your home must also have at least one carbon monoxide detector, one toilet, one sink with hot and cold water, one telephone and one shower with hot and cold water. You cannot smoke anything inside your home or in your vehicle while caring for a foster child. 
6. Receive Your License: Earning your license is the final step! Once you are licensed, you are officially qualified to welcome a child into your family's home. 

Financial Support: The Michigan Foster Care Stipend

Foster care payments in Michigan are paid out on a biweekly basis rather than a monthly basis. These stipends cover each child's room and board, personal incidentals, allowance, clothing and per-diem expenses. These are not salaries for foster parents but rather non-taxable reimbursements for each foster child's needs. 

Here are the current biweekly foster care stipend rates for Michigan. Older children often have more expenses, so their associated stipends are higher. Rates are updated as of August 2025.

• Ages 0-12: $312.90
• Ages 12-18: $373.66

All foster children in Michigan receive complete medical and dental coverage through the state's Medicaid program. This coverage includes mental health care, as well as specialized care for children with special needs. 

Once they turn 18, children in Michigan transitioning out of the foster care system are eligible for the state's Foster Care Transitional Medicaid program, which provides them with care until they are 26. 

Adopting from Foster Care in Michigan

Of the 10,000 kids in Michigan's foster care system, approximately 3,000 will eventually be available for adoption, and around 200 have no identifiable biological families. While reuniting children with their biological families is always the primary goal, that is not always possible. At that point, children in the foster care system become eligible for adoption. 

Once you are a foster parent, the pathway to adoption is relatively streamlined, since you will have already completed some of the requirements to get licensed as a foster parent. You must complete an application, background checks, medical statements, and on-site visits as part of a home study process. You must also submit three character references. 

Most children adopted through foster care are eligible for a post-adoption subsidy to help meet their continued basic needs. 

For more details, see our guide to adoption in Michigan. 

Get Started: Michigan Foster Care Resources

Ready to start your foster care journey? With the right information in hand, you can begin today. You don't have to go through the process alone, and there are several resources out there that can help you. 

You can take your first steps through MDHHS. The state's Foster Care Navigator Program is a hub for information around foster parenting requirements and what you can expect from foster care in Michigan. 

• Official State Agency: Michigan Department of Health & Human Services
• Website: https://www.fcnp.org/ 
• Phone Number: 1-855-MICHKIDS

Find a local licensing agency or county office near you.