Opening doors
A united effort to find homes for Kentucky’s children
For families who have ever considered foster care, the hardest part is often knowing where to begin.
That challenge is exactly what a new collaboration in Jefferson County is working to solve.
Led by Julie Barkley, executive director of Operation Open Arms, a group of agencies has come together to simplify the process—bringing information, resources and support into one place for prospective foster parents.
That effort now has a name: the Jefferson County Foster Care Recruitment Collaboration, a unified partnership focused on recruiting, training and supporting foster families across the region. Participating organizations include St. Joseph Children’s Home, Home of the Innocents, Benchmark Family Services, Sunrise Children’s Services, SAFY of Kentucky, Operation Open Arms and additional community partners working collaboratively to expand foster care capacity in Jefferson County.
The collaboration’s first major public effort is the Spring 2026 Foster Care Summit, A Place for Every Child, scheduled for May 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Kosair Community Room, 982 Eastern Parkway in Louisville. The event is designed to bring families face-to-face with agencies, state partners and support providers—creating a clearer, more accessible path into foster care.
“We wanted to create one place where someone can walk in, get clear, honest information and figure out what path into foster care is right for them,” Barkley says.
“We realized pretty quickly that if we kept working in silos, we weren’t going to move the needle,” she adds. “But if we could bring everyone to the same table, we could make it easier for families to say yes.”
On any given night in Kentucky, thousands of children go to sleep in temporary homes, waiting for something more permanent, more stable and more certain. Today, more than 8,800 children across the commonwealth are in out-of-home care, removed from unsafe situations and in need of foster families willing to step in.
“This has always been a need, but since COVID, it’s even worse,” says Lisa Barber-Atwell, lead recruitment and certification specialist for St. Joseph Children’s Home. “It’s really hard to get folks to commit to the process, but these kids need homes now more than ever.”
For families considering foster care, that first step can feel overwhelming. The process begins with an informational meeting, followed by training and a home study designed to ensure children are placed in safe, supportive environments.
“It’s an invasive process,” Barber-Atwell says. “We’re going to get all up in your business—but that’s how we keep kids safe and make good matches.”
Each organization follows the same evidence-based standards, even if the training formats vary. In many cases, foster parents are preparing to care for children who have experienced trauma.
“These are kids who’ve been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect,” she says. “We call them ‘trauma babies.’ They need stability, patience and someone who understands what they’ve been through.”
The need is especially urgent for older children—those ages 8 and up—who are often the hardest to place.
“We need families willing to take those kids,” Barber-Atwell says. “They need homes just as much.”
Still, those who step into foster care rarely do so on impulse.
“I think it’s almost a calling,” she says. “People will tell me, ‘This has been on my heart for months—or years.’ Sometimes you plant the seed, and it takes time. But when they’re ready, it matters.”
The summit will also include participation from partners such as the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services, offering information on services and support available to foster families.
“It’s really a one-stop shop,” Barber-Atwell says. “If one agency doesn’t feel like the right match, we can connect families with another. It’s about what works best for them—and for the child.”
For organizations like St. Joseph Children’s Home, the mission of caring for vulnerable children is deeply rooted in Kentucky’s history. Since 1849, St. Joe’s has served as a lifeline for children in need, providing a safe and stable home to more than 75,000 children. While many in Louisville know St. Joe’s through its annual Picnic for the Kids—an event that draws tens of thousands each summer to its Crescent Hill campus—the organization’s work extends far beyond those two days, including residential care and foster family support for children across the region.
Alongside that legacy, Operation Open Arms brings a complementary focus as a private child-placing agency licensed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. For more than two decades, the organization has provided foster care and adoption services, including nationally recognized work supporting children whose mothers are incarcerated, while helping connect families with the resources needed to navigate the foster care system.
No single agency can meet the growing need alone. But together, through efforts like the Jefferson County Foster Care Recruitment Collaboration, they are making it easier for families to take that first step.
“At the end of the day, families shouldn’t have to navigate this alone,” Barkley says. “If we can bring everything into one place, answer their questions and help them find where they fit, then we’re giving more children a real chance at having a home.”
FOSTER CARE SUMMIT — AT A GLANCE
A Place for Every Child
Spring 2026 Foster Care Summit
Date: May 16, 2026
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Location: Kosair Community Room
982 Eastern Parkway, Louisville
Learn more: louisvillefostercare.org
Families can meet multiple foster care agencies, ask questions and explore next steps—all in one place.
