Ohio Mentor

When I first enrolled to become a foster parent I was so excited. The classes were going smoothly. however halfway through the process I developed a medical issue. When I realized what was happening I withdrew from the classes. A few weeks after I made the decision to withdraw I received a phone call asking if I would still reconsider. While taking the classes I was always reminded how much of a difference I was going to make and that the Ohio Mentor family was the best decision I could make, however this could not be further from the truth. When filling out the forms selecting what type of child I would be willing to take, I was influenced to not be selective. This was one of the worst decisions I could make. Ohio Mentor agreed to purchase a bunk bed for me so that I could start the process immediately. The first time I received a phone call for placement, I declined. After declining, I was asked why. When I explained the obstacles and red flags, they always seemed to have a solution. I was told that childcare would be set up and I should be fine however that was not accurate. At the last moment child care was set up, however it was not setup properly and dropping the child off that morning became an issue. Ohio Mentor then offered me childcare but I live in Amherst and the child care was in Grafton yet my employment was in Huron. This took away for me being a mother to my own child, by having to run back and forth. My son became resentful almost instantly. After this child left my home, the bunk bed that Ohio Mentor purchased collapsed. For many weeks I was promised that they would purchase a replacement for me. After many weeks waiting with no communication, I purchased a bed on my own, so that my son no longer had to sleep on the couch. I had no intentions of doing foster parenting anymore. However they reached out to me again asking me to reconsider stating that this time it would be different and there would be communication and so I took a second child. While I had the second child he also was a high-level child. During a violent situation I contacted the emergency hotline for Ohio mentor yet received absolutely no response. I actually contacted them twice. During this incident, the child jumped on the hood of my car and cause damage as well as attempted to throw huge rocks at people, I contacted the police and he was removed from my home, however the police physically chased him around a few blocks. Had Ohio Mentor answered their emergency number this child may have never have ended up in the detention home. I was told over and over that I would not have higher level children yet every single phone call that was made to me was for the higher-level children. When I ask to refill out my form be more specific on what type of child I would take I was denied. I was told that once the form filled out that was it, i just have to be wiser when I get the phone calls. However when the phone calls came they were extremely good at dumping the sympathy story and had me believing that the next child would be different and that the level was just a number. I eventually changed my phone number.I truly believe that Ohio mentor pushes the higher-level children fot the higher profit that they will make. I also feel like communication process needs to be re-evaluated. Some employees will be honest with you but they are not the ones with authority. I only decided to write this review because every time I get a letter in the mail from the prosecutor wanting me to leave a victim statement against the child that had to be removed from my home, it angers me. It should have never come to this. I've been told by other friends that foster, that I should switch to another agency, because it is not like this at other agencies. At this point, I fear the same type of outcome, that I will not.