Therapeutic Foster Care Program

Program Description

Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) is client-centered, team-oriented, and culturally sensitive. TFC is a comprehensive plan of services specifically designed to provide treatment within a home setting with licensed and trained Treatment Foster Parents. The Treatment Family is viewed as the primary treatment setting. While their role is central to the client’s treatment, the Treatment Family does not carry primary or exclusive responsibility for the design of treatment plans. This is a team function carried out under the clinical direction of qualified program staff.

A Care Manager provides approximately 20 hours of service per month and includes a minimum of weekly in-home visits and two face-to-face, one-on-one contacts with the youth. The Treatment Team meets every 90 days to review the youths Individual Treatment Plan and progress. Outpatient therapy (individual, group and/or family) is community-based and received at least bi-monthly. Medication Management is received at least every 90 days. Family Support Assistant services are provided as determined necessary by the Treatment Team.

The Care Manager coordinates, with appropriate community resources, the development and implementation of a discharge plan and aftercare services. There is a 24-hour on-call service, 48 hours of planned respite per month, and unplanned respite, as needed, to maintain each youth’s placement.

Program Benefits

TFC is the least restrictive out-of-home therapeutic placement. It allows youth to live in a family, attend public school, and live in a community while utilizing community-based services to address their mental health needs. TFC also promotes permanency planning throughout the course of treatment; i.e. family reunification, transition to regular foster care, adoption, or independent living.

**We do serve youth with co-occurring disorders and medical problems.

Suggested Uses

• Resource and Referral/Recommendations for Intake workers who receive requests for post adoption services.

• Family Treatment Unit workers may be able to use this therapeutic intervention for youth in natural/kinship/foster/pre-adoptive family placements to facilitate and support Family Reunification.

• Aftercare services provided for youth stepping down from therapeutic levels of care.

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