Faith-based organizations have been a cornerstone of the child welfare system for decades, with many modern agencies tracing their roots back over 100 years. While the government has increased its involvement in the caretaking and well-being of vulnerable children over the past several decades, states still rely heavily on faith-based agencies (FBAs). It is common for states to contract with private child welfare agencies including FBAs for services like foster care and adoption and to utilize faith networks to help recruit foster and adoptive families.