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Therapeutic Foster Care |
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Therapeutic Foster Care provides private homes for children who are unable to live with their own families. The program supports homes that can provide more structure and more intensive family involvement than regular foster homes.
We emphasize meeting each child’s specific needs as identified by his or her individualized service plan (ISP). Our case workers provide services that include tutoring, counseling, independent living classes, training programs for foster parents and children, behavioral aide services, crisis intervention, support for school success and opportunity for social recreation. When appropriate, we also provide support services to the child's birth family to prepare them and the child for reunification.
Each therapeutic foster family serves only one child at a time unless that child is part of a sibling group. The foster parents receive 40 hours of pre-service training and 24 continuing education hours annually to prepare them for handling the severe emotional and behavioral difficulties that these children experience.
Children Served
The program serves children whose special needs cannot be met through less restrictive foster care resources. We help children and youth who have social maladjustment, emotional and/or behavior problems and who are unable to live with their biological families. A DSM-IV psychiatric diagnosis is required.
Referral Procedure
County child-welfare offices make all referrals. We can only accept children for placement who have a DSM-IV psychiatric diagnosis.
Funding
Most of the funding for our Therapeutic Foster Care programs comes through state contracts and Medicaid. Individuals, churches and other community groups provide additional help at the local level.
Locations
Each office in the following cities serves a multi-county area: