A Commitment to Family That Led to a Lifetime of Care
When Alberta and Earl Ingram first stepped in to help care for their great-nephew Jahmaree, they believed their role would be temporary. Jahmaree was a toddler who was facing serious medical and behavioral challenges. Alberta’s niece (Jahmaree’s mom) was young and unsure of how to handle those challenges, so she leaned on the Ingrams for support.
“The goal was to take care of him until he was able to communicate and able to explain what was going on,” Alberta recalls. “Then that changed.”
Around the age of five, Jahmaree would be diagnosed with schizencephaly, a rare congenital brain malformation causing varied symptoms like developmental delays, seizures, and paralysis.
“He was always a sweet kid, but he was always extremely aggressive,” added Alberta. “It was a challenge, but we were willing to do whatever it took.”
That’s when the Ingrams decided to become Treatment Foster Care (TFC) parents.
Treatment Foster Care equips caregivers with tools, knowledge, and professional support systems designed to help children with significant medical, emotional, or behavioral challenges thrive in a family setting rather than institutional care.
“We learned that in order to truly help him, we needed additional knowledge and resources,” Earl explains. “Becoming TFC foster parents provided that in more ways than one. Before that, we were just flying by the seat of our pants.”
The Ingrams emphasize that no caregiver should try to navigate this journey alone. Support from respite caregivers, community partners, court systems, and trained professionals helped them sustain their caregiving role over the last two decades.
“We had a lot of support from a lot of different people,” Earl says. “We couldn’t have done it without the support we got along the way.”
For Alberta, stepping in to care for Jahmaree was personal. Alberta entered foster care at age 13 after her mother struggled with postpartum depression at a time when mental health support was rarely understood or available.
“There were eight of us kids,” she says. “And we made a vow to one another that we would always step in for our children and family if they needed us. That’s how we ended up with Jahmaree.”
Earl shared that commitment wholeheartedly.
“There was no option,” he says. “Not in my mind. This was a child who needed help.”
Years later, that kinship placement has been one of the most meaningful developments in Jahmaree’s life. He has been able to keep relationships with relatives, including his biological sisters. The Ingrams say that’s been essential for Jahmaree’s mental health.
“We’re getting older, and we’re not going to be here forever,” Earl says. “It’s critically important that he has family still surrounding him.”
Over their 20+ year journey, Alberta and Earl say the rewards have far outweighed the difficulties.
“Just to see him accomplish something, even small things, means so much,” Alberta says.
“Jahmaree has added more to our lives than we’ve given him,” Earl adds. “He’s made us realize that there’s much more to life than you think.”
Across communities, children with intensive needs are waiting for families who are willing to provide structure, compassion, and specialized care. The Ingrams hope their story encourages others to consider becoming Treatment Foster Care parents or stepping forward when a child in their own family needs support.
“You can transform somebody’s life,” Earl says. “There’s nothing more important than that.”
Today, 24-year-old, Jahmaree still requires around-the-clock care and will likely need that level of support for the rest of his life. Despite his challenges, he has found his voice through music — a powerful way he expresses himself and connects with the world around him.
