MetroFamily Magazine July August 2024

Transforming Trauma into

TRIUMPH Joni Owen’s foster care story BY ERIN PAGE

JONI OWEN (CENTER) WAS NAMED FOSTER PARENT OF THE YEAR IN 2023 BY THE FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTIVE ASSOCIATION OF OKLAHOMA.

J oni Owen grew up in and out of foster care, but she never imagined becoming a foster parent herself. At age 19, she and her husband lived in Tennessee and were compelled by the overwhelming need for foster families in their town. Owen received her first foster care placement 25 years ago, and she quickly realized fostering is a calling she was made for. But she has since endured more than her fair share of hardships. Owen and her husband divorced, and she got sick and became blind. Owen moved to Oklahoma and assumed she could no longer foster because of her disability. Then, five years after Owen’s last placement, her niece entered the foster care system. “I applied not thinking I’d be approved because of blindness,” said Owen. “But she came to me and she’s now under guardianship to be adopted. Then, I applied for mainstream foster care once I realized I could. I had really missed it.”

Caring for children with complex needs At the time of this interview, Owen had just welcomed her 52nd placement and was expecting her 53rd the following day. She’s provided a safe space for newborns through teenagers, and many of the children who’ve been in her care come to her with more than 40 previous placements. The majority of the children Owen has fostered are eligible for Enhanced Foster Care (EFC), which addresses the intricate needs of children who have experienced profound trauma, abuse or neglect and who often face behavioral, medical, developmental and mental health challenges. EFC offers support for the child and the foster parent beyond what traditional foster care provides. Weekly therapy sessions are prioritized in EFC, both for the children and the foster parent. Therapists, psychiatrists and care coordinators all work together for the best interest of each individual. Wraparound care includes regular visits from Owen’s family care coordinator, who comes to her home once a week to reinforce everyone’s work in therapy. “We [as a family] talk about how to argue, how to identify and work through feelings and how the words we say come across [to others],” said Owen. “I also have therapy through EFC so I can talk about what’s going on at home, if I’m stressed about something and talk through my decisions. It’s nice to have that feedback.” In addition to all the training Owen has received around trauma- informed care, her own experiences in foster care guide how she parents. She even uses the guide dog training she’s been privy to for inspiration. “You use five praises for every correction,” explains Owen. “And the more upset you are, the lower your voice and slower you should speak. I’m a better parent than before, when I could see.”