(Iowa Capital Dispatch) Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said a measure she signed into law Tuesday will help make it easier for Iowans to become foster parents by removing certain “barriers of entry” related to training and appropriate placements.
Senate File 2096, sent to the governor last week, makes multiple changes to foster care licensing requirements. It would remove the requirement for foster parents to initially receive 30 hours of training and six hours of additional training annually, stating prospective foster parents would have to receive training based on the “relevant training and experience” of the individual and the “circumstances of the child” who will be placed with the prospective parent.
Foster parent training would be required to include an overview of child welfare, biological parent contact and supporting their family of origin, as well as behavior management, the effect of trauma on child development and issues like attachment, grief and loss. This training can be administered through an approved program offered by a public or private agency.
Reynolds said the changes are issues that foster parents and other advocates brought up as ways that could make it easier for more interested Iowans to become foster parents.
“This bill was largely driven by foster parents who, after going through the training, expressed frustration with a process that seemed outdated, overly burdensome, really, rather than focused on preparing families and again, matching children sooner and more effectively,” Reynolds said.
Many of these advocates and foster parents joined the governor as she signed the bill Tuesday, including Greg Baker, executive vice president for the conservative Christian organization The Family Leader. Baker said the legislation was “critical” because Iowa has “seen less and less families step in to the foster care system,” as well as a higher burnout rate among foster families.
The legislation creates a path to provide training that better fits prospective foster families, Baker said.
“I come from a biased perspective — a Christian church perspective — faith is one of the primary motivators for foster families, yet we’re not able to use faith as a motivator as we’re training them,” Baker said. “This legislation allows more different ways to train, allow us to cater training to different demographics, including our Christian demographic, which will allow them to tap into their faith, allow them to continue on and be in a foster family, but also recruit more families into the process, which we do need to do.”
Janée Harvey, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services division director of Family Well-Being and Protection, said this law builds on previous efforts by the governor and Legislature to improve foster care accessibility in the state.
“These efforts are making a meaningful difference,” Harvey said. “Iowa has less kids in foster care, more placements with relatives, and fewer young people aging out of foster care. Our first goal is to keep children safely with their families whenever possible. When that is not possible and foster care is necessary, we are committed to having caring foster parents ready to welcome them into their homes.”
Harvey said these changes would allow the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to “customize” training based on a caregiver’s background and previous experience. It would mean a prospective foster parent who is a nurse would not have to repeat CPR training to receive their license, for example. At the same time, Harvey said, the law will allow HHS to pursue more specialized training for individuals seeking to care for children with specific needs.
As these regulations change, Harvey said HHS anticipates the timeline for getting a foster parent license will fall from nine months to between three and four months, “without compromising or changing any of the safety requirements that we do.”
“We’re still doing background checks, fingerprinting, home studies, you need to get reference checks from at least three individuals and we do unannounced visits. None of that is changing,” Harvey said.
Alongside the law, Reynolds signed a joint proclamation with the federal Administration of Children and Families, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to join the “A Home for Every Child” initiative to expand the number of foster homes available through the country, as well as make those placements more stable.
Alex Adams, the ACF assistant secretary, said the Trump administration was “thrilled to welcome Iowa as the 9th state to join A Home for Every Child.”
“Under the leadership of Governor Kim Reynolds, Iowa is removing barriers that might discourage loving families from fostering, supporting and expanding kinship care, and cutting red tape that too often distracts from the priority of caring for our most vulnerable children,” Adams said in a statement. “We are grateful to partner with Iowa to deliver a better future for children and families throughout the state.”
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law April 7, 2026 a measure that she and supporters said will make it easier for prospective foster care parents to enter the state’s system. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
