In partnership with Utah Foster Care, Utah First Lady Abby Cox’s Show Up initiative has established the Care Communities Program in Utah. Corporations, congregations, and social groups in Utah are already participating in the program.
Utah Foster Care finds, trains, and supports each Care Community, matching them with a foster family to serve for up to one year.
After watching the training, please return to take the quiz.
Updated March 2026
Confidentiality and Liability Agreement
Respecting privacy is a core value at Utah Foster Care (UFC). Volunteers agree to maintain confidentiality for families and children they work with or encounter while participating in the Care Communities program. This includes verbal and written information, as well as digital content like photos and videos, including release of information on social networking mediums and other public forums.
This rule of confidentiality safeguards individuals and families from being identified or embarrassed due to information about their applications for or receipt of services from Child and Family Services (DCFS) or UFC. Unauthorized sharing of information could harm relationships with families and children.
Volunteers may have access to confidential information, which includes details such as the identities of foster families, children in their care, DCFS staff, and biological family members. This information must be handled according to its classification rules. Access and use of confidential information are limited to purposes aligned with the Care Communities Program guidelines. UFC will inform all participants of any updates to these rules. Volunteers agree to maintain confidentiality during and after their service and return or securely dispose of confidential materials when their service ends.
Utah Foster Care reserves the right to remove a volunteer from the Care Communities program if an intentional breach of confidentiality occurs.
I agree to:
Standards of Conduct
Volunteers are representatives of Utah Foster Care and the Care Communities program. All interactions with program participants must reflect our commitment to their well-being.
I agree to:
Liability Waiver and Release
In consideration of volunteering with the Care Communities Program, I release Utah Foster Care and Utah First Lady Abby Cox Show Up Initiative (Show Up), their employees, officers, agents, volunteers, and affiliates from liability for any claims, injuries, or damages arising from my volunteer activities, except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct.
I understand that UFC’s insurance covers approved volunteer activities including transportation and food provision. I waive any right of subrogation my insurance carriers may have against UFC and Show Up and agree to notify my insurance carriers of this waiver.
I agree to INDEMNIFY and HOLD HARMLESS UFC, Show Up, and their representatives from any claims, costs, or liabilities arising from my volunteer activities.
I understand that volunteering does not create an employer/employee relationship with UFC or Show Up.
Acknowledgment and Signatures
I have read, understood, and agree to the Confidentiality Agreement, Standards of Conduct, and Liability Waiver. I understand I am signing this voluntarily.
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Episode 51: Care Communities
Episode 42: The Gift of Presence
Contact Me:
carecommunities@utahfostercare.org
Tami Carson is a dedicated professional in the field of child welfare in Utah. With a 7-year background in foster care, she has passionately advocated for children and foster families. As the Director of Care Communities, she oversees this program that surrounds foster families with ongoing support and is committed to helping others show up in the lives of Utah’s foster families and the children placed in their homes.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Marriage and Family Studies from BYU-Idaho. Her academic journey has equipped her with a solid foundation in social work and programs to strengthen families.
Throughout her career with Utah Foster Care, she has collaborated with a variety of organizations, community partners, and individuals who support and care for children whose families are working to heal. These experiences have highlighted the goodness of individuals and organizations in Utah, and strengthened her resolve to facilitate support for our foster families.
In partnership with Utah First Lady Abby Cox, their shared mission is to surround foster families with meaningful connection from within their own community. Tami firmly believes that consistent support strengthens relationships and empowers foster families to continue providing foster care, improving outcomes for Utah’s vulnerable children.
Contact me:
jenny.hill@utahfostercare.org
Jenny Hill has been a trainer at Utah Foster Care since 2022. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Family Sciences from Brigham Young University, and has received training as a TBRI practitioner from Texas Christian University. As a foster-adoptive mother of over 16 years, she is uniquely suited to help foster/adoptive families and those who support them, by helping them to navigate the challenges that can come from parenting children who come from hard places. She is passionate about helping families and communities to come together to help the most vulnerable in our society—our children. She loves spending time with her family, and also works as a professional dog trainer.
Contact me:
makenzie.wiscombe@utahfostercare.org
Hi, I’m Makenzie. I’ve been with Utah Foster Care since the fall of 2024, but my journey began during my final semester of college in 2023 when I interned with the organization—and I’ve been hooked ever since. I earned my degree in Family Science because I knew I wanted to work with people and make a meaningful impact, even if I wasn’t sure exactly how at the time. Through my experience with Utah Foster Care, I discovered a passion for supporting foster families. I especially love working with the Care Communities program and seeing groups of people come together to wrap around and uplift these families in such powerful ways.
Contact me:
lizzy.davis@utahfostercare.org
Lizzy Davis joined Utah Foster Care in 2025 bringing a strong background in education, communication, and community engagement. For over a decade, she has worked as an instructor, curriculum developer, and public speaker—creating supportive spaces where people feel empowered to grow and connect. With experience in both higher education and faith-based leadership, she brings a heartfelt, relational approach to mentoring volunteers and building partnerships. She is passionate about strengthening families and communities through consistent, compassionate service and is honored to support the work of Care Teams across the state as part of the Care Communities program.
Program Overview
In partnership with Utah First Lady Abby Cox’s Show Up Initiative, Utah Foster Care has established a Care Communities Program to surround foster families with meaningful support. We believe connection and community are essential to thriving families, and we encourage you to build genuine relationships of trust with the Care Team members you meet through this program. Care Team members sign confidentiality agreements with Utah Foster Care and are trained in safety practices.
Confidentiality and Safety
Care Team members sign confidentiality agreements similar to those you signed with DCFS. They agree to protect identifying information about your family and children in your care. Utah Foster Care provides training on confidentiality and safety practices. Background screenings are available for Care Team members you request to be screened or who voluntarily request screening. Not all Care Team members will have completed background screenings.
Liability Coverage
Utah Foster Care maintains liability insurance that covers the service Care Team members provide, including transporting children in your care and bringing homemade food to your family. Utah Foster Care requests that Care Team Leaders report interactions between Care Team members and children in your care to help us understand the support being provided.
Building Relationships Beyond Formal Service
We hope and expect that you will develop meaningful friendships with Care Team members that extend naturally beyond formal Care Team service. These relationships may include the normal activities of friendship—play dates where children visit each other’s homes, joining neighborhood carpools, social gatherings, and other activities you arrange directly with Care Team members.
The Normalcy Act recognizes that children in foster care deserve to participate in age-appropriate activities just like any other child. This includes common situations like going to a friend’s house where one parent is home, riding in a carpool with one adult driver, or attending birthday parties and playdates. You have the authority to make reasonable and prudent parenting decisions about these normal childhood experiences.
Your Authority and Responsibilities
As a foster parent, you maintain the authority to make parenting decisions about the children in your care. This includes:
Making reasonable and prudent decisions about which adults may interact with children in your care and what activities are appropriate.
Inquiring about background screening status when making decisions about interactions with Care Team members.
Informing your child and family team about adults who have significant interaction with children in your care, consistent with DCFS requirements.
Understanding Your Role
Utah Foster Care has informed me about how the Care Communities Program naturally overlaps with the Normalcy Act and the genuine friendships that will develop between my family and Care Team members. I understand that as these relationships grow, they may extend into normal family activities and interactions. I recognize my authority and responsibility to make parenting decisions about the adults who interact with children in my care, and I acknowledge that these decisions are mine to make as the foster parent.
Acknowledgment
By submitting this form, I acknowledge that I understand:
© 2026 Utah Foster Care.
