Montana’s foster care population has declined nearly 48% since 2021, according to state officials, as Gov. Greg Gianforte proclaimed November 2026 Adoption Month at a State Capitol ceremony.
The number of children in foster care fell from more than 3,300 to 1,716, while the Department of Public Health and Human Services said it had facilitated more than 250 adoptions and guardianships during 2026. Gianforte recognized Helena-area adoptive families, including April Berns, who adopted three grandchildren, and Meagan and Wesley Hogue, who adopted two children after beginning to foster in 2022.
The governor pointed to adoption tax credits enacted in 2023, worth $5,000 generally and $7,500 for children adopted within Montana. He also discussed the state’s participation in the A Home for Every Child initiative, which aims to strengthen foster care and kinship placements. “Every child deserves a loving home and a family they can count on,” Gianforte said.