Training & Research
Family Foster Care
There are many reasons why children may be unable to live with their families; nevertheless, every child needs to have the opportunity to live in a safe, stable home. Parsons offers several family foster care programs for children who must live outside of their homes.
Family foster care is a preferred level of care for children who are able to function in a home environment. The need for foster families is every increasing. The NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) licenses each program, and every home is certified as a foster family. Parsons recruits and prepares applicants to provide foster and adoptive care and assures that applicants meet state regulatory requirements for certification. Parsons offers foster parents personalized guidance, financial assistance, and a support network of other foster families and child care professionals. Individuals and families interested in becoming foster parents to foster or adopt children can contact us at 518.426.2868 or via e-mail at fostercare@parsonscenter.org.
Who can access services? Local departments of social services can refer children/youths in crisis situations; children/youths with special needs who are unable to live with their birth families; children/youths who have been referred for out-of-home placements or who are in need of a “step-down” from a more intensive level of care; and youths with problems with chronic antisocial behaviors and delinquency.
How are services accessed? Referrals are made by local departments of social services by contacting Parsons’ Centralized Intake Unit (CIU) at 518.426.2600. CIU staff is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
What are the services?
- Short-term Care is available through an arrangement with local county departments of social services to provide for children in crisis situations. During a child’s short-term placement, family, clinical and support staff provide services necessary for successful reunification with the birth family or the development of a different long-term plan.
- Children with special needs who are unable to live with their birth families may be placed in Specialized Foster Care homes on an emergency, short- or long-term basis. Clinicians and family support workers assist the child and birth family to promote permanency. Consultations with licensed health care professionals are also available to assist with service planning
- Our Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) Program is offered as a treatment option for children and youths who have been referred for out-of-home placement or who are in need of a “step-down” from a more intensive level of care. The goal of the Therapeutic Foster Care Program is to teach children and families how to be successful in a family and community in order to facilitate their return home. A unique feature of Therapeutic Foster Care is the availability of child and family care workers who offer respite services to the foster parents while providing therapeutic activities to the youngsters in care. Further support is provided by psychiatric and psychological consultants and clinicians who have extensive experience in trauma, foster care, adoption and permanency
- Adolescents who have problems with chronic antisocial behaviors and delinquency may be placed in Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care as an alternative to incarceration and group or residential care. Intervention through this program is multifaceted and occurs in multiple settings. The intervention components and services include: behavioral parent training for foster and biological parents (or other aftercare resources); skills training for the youth; family therapy for biological families; supportive therapy for the youths and involved adults; school-based behavioral interventions and academic support; and psychiatric consultation and medication management when needed.
- Our services also include: psychiatric and psychological consultation; health care coordination; parent skill building; supervised visitation; and individualized and family counseling; respite.
When are services available? On-call staff is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Download the one-page description of Family Foster Care
Are you a kid in Foster Care?? Check out the Youth Advisory Council Page!! CLICK HERE!
Foster Care Orientation Dates! Click Here!!!
Interested in Adoption?? Click Here
Questions? Email us: fostercare@parsonscenter.org
BRING A CHILD HOME:
Become a Resource Parent to Foster Children and Youth
In Need Today
Parsons Child and Family Center provides different levels of foster care. Each offers 24-hour support and daily allowances for board and care, and satisfaction in helping children.
SPECIALIZED FOSTER CARE
This level of care is for children who have special needs for care, but who are able to live in a family and home setting. Many of the children come from situations where substance abuse is an issue for their parents. Resource parents providing this level of care are able to work outside of the home, as these children attend school or can go to day care programs. There are single children, as well as children with brothers and sisters who are placed together. Resource parents for sibling groups, and older children (age 12 and up) are especially needed. Children in this level of care range in age from infancy to 18 years. Their goal in care may be return to parents, adoption, or another planed living arrangement. Care issues may include the following: emotional (coping with feelings of loss and separation); cognitive (delayed mental functioning, special education needs); behavioral (acts out feelings, learning new ways to express needs).
THERAPEUTIC FOSTER CARE
Most families providing this level of care have a stay-at-home parent; some parents work outside of the home and care for only one child. The reason for this is that the children are in active treatment to help them heal from abuse. The resource parent is part of the treatment team and must be available for meetings, training, support, and therapy with the child. Children cared for at this level would have to be placed in group homes or institutional settings, if they could not be in a therapeutic resource family. Children in this level of care range in age from four to sixteen. Their goal in care may be return to parents, adoption, or an alternative planned living arrangement. Care issues may include the following: abuse (physical and sexual); emotional (feelings of shame, anger, rejection); cognitive (delayed mental functioning, special education needs); behavioral (acts out feelings, learn new ways to express needs); social (lack of trust in adults).
MULTIDIMENSIONAL TREATMENT FOSTER CARE (MTFC):
This is a foster care program serving children and youth ages 11 to 17 who have emotional problems and experience with the legal system. The goal of the MTFC program is to decrease delinquent behavior and to increase age-appropriate and positive behavior in adolescents who are delinquent and need out-of-home placement. Interventions in this program include:
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Behavioral training for MTFC foster parents |
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Skills training for the youth |
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Family therapy for the biological families |
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Supportive therapy for the youth and involved adults |
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School-based behavioral interventions and academic support |
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Psychiatric consultation and medication management, when needed |
Free training and 24-hour clinical support are provided to foster parents.
For more information or to sign up or an orientation
Phone: (518) 426-2868