The path of children and foster care and for many adopted children can be a challenging one. The same is true of foster parents and some families who choose to adopt.

It can be a particularly challenging situation when foster children or adopted children have suffered trauma or face other personal struggles, or have spent time in multiple home situations.

That’s why the work of PATH North Dakota is so important – and why the state could use more private organizations such as this one, spotlighted in the Monday, April 1, issue of Minot Daily News.

PATH has a noble set of objectives – to make a difference in families and youth in North Dakota through their foster care, adoption, independent living and family service programs. They offer various services with considerable focus on foster care and providing children in need with a safe, nurturing environment when their parents may not be able to care for them.

Notably the 25-year-old private, non-profit child and family services agency specifically focuses on the particular challenges of children in foster care. The largest component of its foster care services is its Treatment Foster Care. A large number of children in foster care are treatment level and Treatment Foster Care homes focus on the children in their care’s healing, safety and success with in-depth training to prepare them.

PATH also has a growing focus on Trauma Informed Care, which focuses on what happened to the child that has led to their behavior. This focus helps Treatment Foster Care better prepare to help children in their care.

It is the full slate of services PATH offers, its focus and the work of the extraordinary individuals who work for the organization and who are affiliated with it that make it a good example of how private non-profit groups can have a huge impact on families around the state.

North Dakota could use more organizations such as PATH.

Foster parents are always needed and there are other ways to help PATH with its goals. For more information on PATH and their many services, foster parenting and more, visit their website at pathinc.org or call 839-8887.