Friday, November 30, 2012
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Therapeutic foster care parents are needed - (www.icareguam.com)
Last Saturday I put out a call for interested adults to become therapeutic foster parents to a child or youth in need. Therapeutic foster care is a mental health service for children and youths with significant mental health needs who cannot be cared for in their own home.
It's an alternative to institutional care, be it a group or residential care, and incarceration. It is least restrictive and most conducive, integrated out-of-home placement for the child/youth with mental health needs. It is a natural, home-like environment with individualized care addressing the child's special needs.
The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse and the Department of Public Health and Social Services have developed a partnership in the effort to support our children placed in the child welfare system.
Public Health assesses and licenses the home in meeting the requirements of foster care, and Mental Health trains and certifies the therapeutic foster parent applicant according to the needs of the minor. Mental Health compensates the parents for their services utilizing the Residential Treatment Fund, while Public Health provides reimbursement pay for the minor's needs, funding is locally provided. Both agencies provide oversight and support to the foster parents and the minor.
One may wonder how a regular licensed foster care differs to a licensed and certified therapeutic foster care. Placement into a licensed foster care home usually is urgent and immediate. It also allows for the placement of more than one child. Therapeutic foster care is a planned placement and because of the mental health needs of the youth, it is limited to only one child.
If you, or an adult you know, is interested in bringing in a youth to care for in your home, the steps to becoming a therapeutic foster parent is to first fill out an application at the I Famagu'on-ta office in Hagåtña. An application for a home assessment by Public Health must be completed as well. Once all the required documents are provided, which include a police and court/FBI clearance, letters of reference, physical exam and other relevant information, the training is scheduled and provided by I Famagu'on-ta, Child Adolescent Services Division.
There's an initial 40 hours of training on therapeutic foster care, the roles and responsibilities and expectations of the parent and agencies, followed by specific training on the mental health needs of the particular child/youth. This covers skills training on how to handle certain problems as they arise. A transition period is included in the training before the actual placement takes place to ensure success for both.
Additionally, ongoing training to provide support to the therapeutic foster parent and the minor is available.
The goal of therapeutic foster care is to return the child to his or her home or to a permanent alternative home setting, or to independent living. Therapeutic foster care is an evidence-based practice and is cost effective, compared to other type placements. Outcomes for children in therapeutic foster care have been documented in various studies and research indicating sustained improvement in the child's behavior and mental health needs as well as more successful transition to less restrictive environments.
Please call us at 477-5338/39/49 or visit us at the I Famagu'on-ta Office on Chalan Santo Papa Road in the J&G Complex in Hagåtña for more information on becoming a therapeutic foster parent.
Annie F.B. Unpingco, LCSW, is administrator of Child Adolescent Services Division/I Famagu'on-ta at the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse.
It's an alternative to institutional care, be it a group or residential care, and incarceration. It is least restrictive and most conducive, integrated out-of-home placement for the child/youth with mental health needs. It is a natural, home-like environment with individualized care addressing the child's special needs.
The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse and the Department of Public Health and Social Services have developed a partnership in the effort to support our children placed in the child welfare system.
Public Health assesses and licenses the home in meeting the requirements of foster care, and Mental Health trains and certifies the therapeutic foster parent applicant according to the needs of the minor. Mental Health compensates the parents for their services utilizing the Residential Treatment Fund, while Public Health provides reimbursement pay for the minor's needs, funding is locally provided. Both agencies provide oversight and support to the foster parents and the minor.
One may wonder how a regular licensed foster care differs to a licensed and certified therapeutic foster care. Placement into a licensed foster care home usually is urgent and immediate. It also allows for the placement of more than one child. Therapeutic foster care is a planned placement and because of the mental health needs of the youth, it is limited to only one child.
If you, or an adult you know, is interested in bringing in a youth to care for in your home, the steps to becoming a therapeutic foster parent is to first fill out an application at the I Famagu'on-ta office in Hagåtña. An application for a home assessment by Public Health must be completed as well. Once all the required documents are provided, which include a police and court/FBI clearance, letters of reference, physical exam and other relevant information, the training is scheduled and provided by I Famagu'on-ta, Child Adolescent Services Division.
There's an initial 40 hours of training on therapeutic foster care, the roles and responsibilities and expectations of the parent and agencies, followed by specific training on the mental health needs of the particular child/youth. This covers skills training on how to handle certain problems as they arise. A transition period is included in the training before the actual placement takes place to ensure success for both.
Additionally, ongoing training to provide support to the therapeutic foster parent and the minor is available.
The goal of therapeutic foster care is to return the child to his or her home or to a permanent alternative home setting, or to independent living. Therapeutic foster care is an evidence-based practice and is cost effective, compared to other type placements. Outcomes for children in therapeutic foster care have been documented in various studies and research indicating sustained improvement in the child's behavior and mental health needs as well as more successful transition to less restrictive environments.
Please call us at 477-5338/39/49 or visit us at the I Famagu'on-ta Office on Chalan Santo Papa Road in the J&G Complex in Hagåtña for more information on becoming a therapeutic foster parent.
Annie F.B. Unpingco, LCSW, is administrator of Child Adolescent Services Division/I Famagu'on-ta at the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse.
