Vermont officials have updated foster care guidelines to remove a previous requirement that prospective parents affirm LGBT ideology. The state has also reinstated the licenses of families whose certifications were revoked due to religious objections, resolving several legal disputes.
The conservative legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom announced Monday that the state agreed to a settlement in a case challenging rules that required foster parent applicants to articulate views on gender and sexuality that conflicted with their faith in order to qualify for licensure.
According to the revised policy, foster parents who indicate boundaries regarding caring for “children and youth with diverse identities,” including those who identify as LGBT, will not be considered “inherently discriminatory.”
“These are normal considerations that belong in matching, not licensing,” the updated guidance states.
The Vermont Department of Children and Families has clarified that it will no longer require foster parents to provide an “endorsement or affirmation of specific identities,” adopt the “use of particular vocabulary, prescribed language, or preferred pronouns related to gender identity, sexual orientation, or gender expression” or commit to “facilitate medical appointments or procedures related to gender-affirming care” as a prerequisite for obtaining a foster care license.
ADF represented two Christian couples in the litigation: Brian and Kaity Wuoti, along with Michael and Rebecca Gantt. Both families had previously lost their foster care licenses under earlier standards that mandated applicants be “holistically affirming and supporting” of a child’s sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
The Wuotis and the Gantts adhere to traditional Christian teachings regarding marriage and human sexuality.
In response to the settlement, the Wuotis stated: “We’re thankful that common sense won out and that Vermont has changed its policy to put children’s interests above divisive ideologies. We’re grateful for one more opportunity to help give children a safe and loving home.”
Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse, senior counsel with ADF, described the outcome as “an incredible victory for children in Vermont’s foster-care system.”
“No parent should be forced to lie to a vulnerable child about who they are, much less promote irreversible and life-altering procedures that don’t have any proven health benefits,” Widmalm-Delphonse said. “And, unfortunately, other loving families have been unable to open their homes to children in need just because of their Christian worldview.”
Another Christian couple, Melinda Antonucci and Casey Mathieu, also saw their foster care license reinstated under the new framework. The Center for American Liberty confirmed Monday that the couple’s certification had previously been revoked due to their beliefs about sexuality but has now been restored under the updated state policy.
