× Thanks for reading! Log in to continue. Enjoy more articles by logging in or creating a free account. No credit card required. Log in Sign up {{featured_button_text}}

Gov. Ralph Northam on Wednesday touted the launch of a public-private partnership, Virginia Fosters, that will seek to boost recruitment of foster families and improve supports for the state’s overburdened foster care system.

The governor also announced his signing this week of measures to start reform of the state’s foster care system.

Northam said his administration will have a stake in the new initiative with the appointment of a Virginia Fosters coordinator that will work out of the office of Health Secretary Daniel Carey. The position will be funded through a $100,000 appropriation currently in the state budget.

“We have made tremendous strides in improving our foster care system with this legislation, but we also know that the challenges we have did not come about overnight and cannot be solved in one General Assembly Session or by government alone,” Northam said during an event at U-Turn Sports Performance Academy in Henrico County.

“Each one of us has a role to play in giving Virginia’s most vulnerable children an opportunity to grow and thrive.”