In 2014, 1,795 children were in license foster care in Iowa. May is National Foster Care Month. Sentaor Chuck Grassley shared he has been working to improve foster care programs at the federal level and in recent years they have been working to assist children who age out of foster care and transition into adulthood.

To become a foster parent in Iowa adults are required to complete an inquiry form, attend an informational session, complete background and fingerprint checks, attend training classes over 10 weeks, and complete a home study. The process takes six to nine months.

There is a need for families to foster siblings and teenagers, as well as African American and Latino families.

For more information on how to become a foster parent in Iowa click here and for the full interview with Grassley listen to today’s Washington Page.