A)
What is the
philosophy of Service Alternatives Foster Care Program?
Service
Alternatives for Washington, Inc./Oregon Family Services is
committed to using a Family Centered Practice model in working with families
and foster families. In using this
approach, Service Alternatives supports and strengthens families and
communities through community involvement, education, awareness, growth and
support. A Family Centered Practice model incorporates the following
philosophies:
·
Families are the primary influence in the lives of
children. Children gain their identities
from the family, as the family is the one constant in a child’s life, while
staff and services may change.
·
Family Centered Practice appreciates families as families,
and children as children, recognizing that they possess a wide range of
strengths, concerns, emotions, and aspirations.
Family Centered Practice is strength-based. This empowers parents to focus on what they
do well, and discover the hidden strengths and talents within the children they
serve.
·
Family Centered Foster Care creates true partnerships with
families. Traditional partnership models
place foster parents in a passive role of being informed or educated. Family Centered Practice places foster
parents in a creative role of establishing goals and making decisions. In family centered foster care, families know
that feedback will facilitate change.
·
Family Centered Foster Care supports and trains foster
parents in an effort to maintain consistent, quality care for children. Special topic trainings assist our foster
parents in feeling confident that they have the skills to serve high needs
children.
·
Professionals, such as therapists and program staff, bring
information to parents about child development and about their experiences with
many children. Yet, Family Centered
Foster Care recognized that families provide much needed information about the
individual child, across time an in a variety of settings. Family Centered Foster Care encourages
family-to family support and networking in order to communicate this
information successfully.
·
Family Centered Foster Care honors cultural diversity, and
individuality within all families, including ethnic, racial, spiritual,
social-economic, and educational backgrounds.
Service Alternatives uses a Family
Centered Practice model to work with families and foster families in developing
strategies to promote stabilization and learning for the children we
serve. Families are given power and
choices based on their own needs and strengths.
The partnership between family members and Service Alternatives is based
on cooperation, respect, and the mutual goal of doing their best for the
children in their care.
Service
Alternatives for Washington, Inc. (SA)/Oregon Family Services is
a multifaceted statewide social service agency that provides several options
and levels of care within our foster care program. The philosophy around the level system is to
1) increase placement and service options for foster parents and 2) tailor our
system based on the specific needs of the child. These levels include Regular Foster Care, Specialized Foster Care, and Therapeutic
Foster Care. Each level of care
has its own unique benefit to the children requiring such care and the families
willing to open up their homes and lives to these children. To meet the needs of the children in care we
are hopeful that one of these three levels will meet the needs of your family
so that you may provide a home for a child in need. No level of care is considered more or less
important; however, the continuum reflects the ranges and diversified needs of
children we serve and allows for individual family preferences. Families may transition between levels of
care at SA’s discretion depending on their preference or qualifications. In addition, families can choose to accept
levels of children at a lower service level.
Each level of care is a valuable piece of our foster care continuum of
services. Below is a brief description
with the requirement of each level.
Regular Foster Care- This level of
care is specifically designed for children who have transitioned out of more
moderate care situations and have reached permanent living situations or
children that do not consistently require additional professional services or
supports. This unique level of care allows families to consider placement for
children between the ages of 0-17.
SA will supervise the foster home license and your reimbursement will be
agreed and paid by the placement agency (Washington State DSHS, Idaho State
DHW, Oregon
State DHS, private agency). On occasion, DSHS/DHS may contract with SA or
another agency to provide additional support and services to your family. This level of care should be less intrusive
than other levels of care and may lead, depending on preference, to a more
long-term placement with your family.
Specialized
Foster Care- This level of care is specifically designed for children
who require specialized support and services in order to achieve a successful
living situation or transition to a permanent living situation. This level is for children between the ages
of 6 and 17 years old. Typically, SA
will supervise your license and contract directly with you to provide this
specialized care to the children in your home.
This level of care can be more
intrusive; however, provides your family with additional support and
professional services to assist that child in reducing their need for
specialized care. Families that choose this level of care
should have at minimum one (1) year of relevant experience. SA may refer children to your home under the
umbrella and payment structure of “Regular” Foster Care.
Therapeutic Foster Care- This level of care is specifically designed for children
who require highly intensive supports and services to live successfully in
family situations. This level of care is
for children between the ages of 6 and 17 years old. Typically, SA will supervise your license and
contract directly with you to provide a wide range of intensive care to the
children in your home. This level of
care will be most intrusive, however, provides your family with wraparound
support to assure professional services and eventual reduction to less
intensive and costly services. Families who choose to provide this level
of care should have two (2) years of relevant experience and have an individual
bedroom available for placement.
SA may refer children under the umbrella and payment structure of
“Specialized” or “Regular” Foster Care.
Available
in Region II/Yakima,
S.T.O.P. Homes (Solutions To Out-of-home
Placement) – This is a contract between SA and Region II DSHS/Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) for a uniquely
tailored level of service specifically provided in Yakima, Benton and Franklin
Counties. These families are providing the level of care consistent with
therapeutic foster care; however are available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week
for additional services to children and families.
Specialized and Therapeutic foster care is a vital part
of our Family Services Division. It is a
program specifically designed to help children and their families whose needs
cannot be met at this time by their biological family. Through supports from Foster Parent(s),
biological family, program staff, and community integration, the therapeutic foster
care program aims to return children to the least restrictive setting
possible. For some children, this may
mean a return home to biological parent(s); for others to relatives; and for
still others to long-term foster care or adoption.
The Specialized
and Therapeutic foster family is viewed as the primary treatment setting, with
the parent(s) trained and supported to implement the goals outlined in the
Individual Service and Treatment Plan (ISTP).
These goals include community integration, permanency outcomes, meeting
the medical and dental needs of the children, eliminating inappropriate
behaviors, and supporting the child's educational needs. These goals are
carried out under the direction of the Foster Parent(s) coupled with qualified
family support staff working in the home to provide support to the family and
children.
Foster Parent(s)
are expected to be active participants in the teams that develop the goals for
the child, and to work closely with the family support staff and Managers in
order to best accomplish them. You will be expected to frequently bring the
youth to academic and community activities in order to help them develop
community and social ties. Remember how busy teenagers are! Helping the child
learn social and life skills will be one of the most enduring gifts you can
give a foster child. Foster Parent(s) are to provide consistency and structure
to the children in their care, and provide a scheduled daily outline that the
child can easily follow. This may
include chore time, homework time, family activities, etc.
Foster Parent(s)
are also encouraged to maintain interaction with the child's biological family
when appropriate. Whenever possible, teams will include biological family
members. All of the children's relationships with parents, siblings, and other
family members should be actively supported and enhanced throughout the period
of placement unless such efforts are expressly and legally forbidden.
SA, Inc. recognizes that Foster Parent(s) will be asked many
questions by friends, neighbors and other Foster Parent(s) about the foster
children in their home. General
information, such as, name, age, grade in school, etc., are appropriate, but
SA, Inc. insists that Foster Parent(s) not violate the confidence of the child
regarding the personal information that they have learned about the child or
his/her family. The child’s privacy is
extremely important.
At SA, we operate under the philosophy
of unconditional care, meaning that
we do not "give up" on children, nor do we deny services to
them. When children struggle in foster
homes, our first response is to increase the level of supports provided to both
the family and the child (a strong emphasis is placed on increasing natural
supports). The team may be asked to
provide extra supports on many levels in order to maintain placement. If problems persist, a child may be removed
temporarily from a home, in an emergency respite situation. The expectation is that the child will be
placed back in their foster home once behaviors have stabilized. If health and safety is compromised, an
alternate placement may be sought.
C)
What kind of
children are being served by Service Alternatives foster homes?
Children that
enter into our Specialized and Therapeutic Foster Care program range in age
from 6-17 years old, with most of them already in their teens. Children placed in our regular foster care
program range in age from 0-17. While
all children in foster care will have some ramifications of the trauma they
have suffered, children in this category typically have fewer behavioral
concerns. They all come to us from a
variety of backgrounds. Children in our
care have a variety of challenges, both behavioral and developmental. Many are dealing with issues that spring from
coping with sexual and/or physical abuse.
Children with
developmental challenges often have very caring and involved biological
families who are just unable to cope with the twenty-four hour a day, seven day
a week intensive support that their children require. These children may need assistance with basic
self-help skills such as eating and personal hygiene. They may not have a well-developed sense of
safety when it comes to traffic or strangers.
We are looking for foster parents who can work with the biological
family and provide them with respite and more assistance if possible.
Most of the
children we serve who primarily exhibit challenges with their behavior have
been in "the system" for some time, and have therefore learned a
variety of behaviors. These may include
defiance, stealing, assaultive behaviors, running away, fire setting, lying,
etc. Children in the system may find it
very difficult and threatening to bond with adults, and they often have been
placed in a large number of settings where they have learned any number of
behaviors that can result in unsuccessful placement. The Foster Parent(s) who is most successful
with these children has very clear, reasonable, and enforceable limits, and
they are able to look to the team for support and guidance.
A)
How do I apply
to be a foster parent with Service Alternatives?
Let the Foster
Care Licenser know you want to apply.
The licensing process actually begins with the first contact a
prospective Foster Parent has with SA.
After a joint decision by SA and the prospective Foster Parent(s), the
family completes an application form, criminal history forms for all persons in
the household 16 years of age and older, and any other forms required. The licensing process includes SA orientation,
home safety checks, criminal and reference clearances, any evaluations deemed
necessary, the home study and initial trainings. Upon satisfactory completion of the above, SA
will issue the foster home license, usually within 2-3 weeks of submittal. This license is valid only under the
supervision of Service Alternatives for Washington, Inc./Oregon Family Services.
B)
What
documentation do we need to complete?
|
Applicant(s) |
Foster Care Licenser |
|
Application
|
|
|
|
Background check |
|
Background
Results |
|
Fingerprints
(as needed) |
|
|
|
Autobiographies |
|
|
|
Any additional
evaluations |
|
|
|
Policy
Documentation |
|
|
|
|
Home
Study |
|
|
|
Licensing File
Checklist |
|
|
|
Foster Home
Checklist |
|
|
|
Other
supporting documentation |
|
|
|
Certification
Card |
|
|
|
License if approved |
|
C)
What are the
Standards for Foster Care, Relative Care, and Adoptive Families ?
The Safety
Standards for Foster Care, Relative Care, and Adoptive Families (SSFCs) are the
rules developed under Oregon Administrative Rules 413-200 to make sure foster
homes meet standards that are adequate for the care of foster children. The
SSFCs are excerpts of Oregon State Law.
Foster Parent(s) are required to read the SSFCs prior to receiving a
foster care license. The SA, Inc. Foster
Care Licenser will assure all questions are answered regarding the SSFCs. Foster Parent(s) are responsible for
following all Oregon State Laws listed in the booklet. Foster Parent(s) will sign documentation
stating they have read, understand and will comply with the material.
D)
What is a
Criminal History Check?
The Criminal
History and Background Inquiry (b/c) form is used to allow DHS to look at
information that pertains to you in law enforcement files. If you have moved to
E)
What about my
lifestyle?
1)
I work full-time…
Foster Parent(s)
must give SA, Inc. a written outline of the plan for supervision for the foster
child(ren) placed in their home while the caregiver is at work. The plan must include an accurate schedule
of times the foster parent will be at work or at other regularly scheduled events. This is to ensure adequate and appropriate
supervision for times when you may be absent from your home. Approval of the
proposed day care provider will be based on the needs of the child in care and
the needs of the family. An adult with a
cleared criminal history clearance who has been approved by the child’s legal
guardian and team may provide Day Care in your home. If you choose to use a day care facility, the
facility must be licensed and given information regarding the child's
behavioral concerns and development.
You must confirm the day care arrangements with your SA, Inc. Primary
Contact and the child’s team, prior to a child being placed in your home. Foster Parent(s) are to describe the workday
plan on documentation provided by the Foster Care Licenser (see Workday Plan). Any Day Care payment is the
responsibility of the Foster Parent.
2) What if I need
someone to provide care for my foster child when I need to be out of the home
for a period of time………
Foster Parent(s) may allow a friend, or
a relative to provide care to a foster child in the licensed foster home. (OAR 413-200-0345) Anyone providing care for a foster child placed by Service
Alternatives for Washington, Inc./Oregon Family Services must be at least 18
years of age, have a cleared background check, have completed both HIV/AIDS prevention and CPR/First aid training. The childcare provider must provide a copy of
their driver’s license and auto insurance to SA if they will be transporting
the child.
Foster Parent(s) must assure that they
are familiar and comfortable with the individual who will be caring for the
foster child. The foster parent(s) must
review with the substitute caregiver expectations regarding supervision and
discipline of the foster child. The
foster parent(s) must also give the substitute caregiver information on how
they can be contacted while away from home, and give them all the necessary
crisis response information needed for the child, including the on-call crisis
response number.
3)
We’re not married…
Much like the children we serve, foster
parents are from many different backgrounds and lifestyles. Successful foster parents have been single
people, married couples, life partners, and in other living arrangements. The focus of foster care is to provide a
safe, stable, and nurturing environment for children. We ask that your household is stable, and
that each member is committed to providing a positive environment for kids that
includes modeling healthy family relationships.
4)
I am / am not
religious…
Biological or
legal Parent(s) of foster children retain the right to determine what, if any,
religious affiliation the child will have.
You are to accept and support the chosen religious expression of your
foster children and you need to make opportunities available for him/her to
participate in appropriate activities surrounding that chosen religion. If there are any questions about religious
practices, or age appropriateness of any activities, inform your primary
contact.
You are also
encouraged to engage in your own religious expression, but you may not require
or coerce foster children into following or engaging in your chosen religion or
religious activities. You must sign
documentation stating your understanding and willingness to comply with this
policy.
5)
I like to have a glass of wine with dinner…
Consumption of
alcoholic beverages is permissible as long as you remain able to supervise the
children appropriately and are able to exercise good judgment concerning their
care. It is imperative that you be able
to respond quickly and effectively to unexpected emergencies. Excessive consumption of alcohol can be
sufficient grounds for losing one’s license (OAR 413-200-0310(6)).
Children are not
to have access to alcohol in the foster home.
Depending on the individual needs of the children placed in the home,
the Foster Parent(s) may be asked to keep alcoholic beverages out of reach or
in a locked storage area.
6) Is smoking
permitted around the children………..
Smoking is not permitted in the living
space of any home caring for children or in motor vehicles while transporting
children. (OAR 413-200-0330(3b)) You may permit adults to smoke outdoors away
from children.
F)
How do I know if
my house or apartment can be licensed?
There are a
number of very specific rules about the physical layout of a foster home that
you can find in the SSFCs (OAR 413-200-0314).
In general, if your house and grounds are sanitary, free of hazards,
structurally sound, and adequate in size, then it is likely that your home
could be licensed. Specific questions
need to be referred to your foster care licenser.
G)
What about my
car?
Foster Parent(s)
are required to have current auto
insurance that includes liability and medical coverage to protect foster
children who are passengers in their vehicles. (OAR 413-200-0325(1)) Foster
Parent(s) cannot receive a foster care license without proof of this
coverage. Foster Parent(s) will submit
current copies of their insurance cards to their Foster Care Licenser as they
become available. Foster Parent(s) will
also submit a current copy of their driver’s license to their Foster Care
Licenser as it is renewed.
The Foster
Parent(s) vehicle is to be in safe operating condition and have adequate safety
devices. Foster Parent(s) are required
to comply with all safety requirements relating to their vehicles, specifically
concerning small persons and airbag safety, small persons and shoulder straps,
and proper positioning of child seats.
In accordance with ORS 811-205-225 and OAR 413-200-0325(2), all
passengers in the Foster Parent(s) vehicle will wear seat belts, one passenger
per seat belt. It is the Foster
Parent(s) responsibility to assure that any child weighing 80 pounds or less
will be transported only in a secure booster seat or car seat. Also, consult the child’s Individual Behavior
Management Plan and manufacturer’s air bag safety guidelines to determine the
safest seating arrangement for the child.
It is the Foster Parent(s) responsibility to keep all automobile keys inaccessible
to children in their care.
H)
What are the
Health and Safety procedures I’ll need to know?
1)
Reporting Child Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation:
As mandated by OAR
419B.005 to 419B.045, it is the policy of SA, Inc. that any suspected abuse,
neglect, or exploitation of a child by an employee or subcontractor (Foster
Parent) of the agency or any adult, be immediately
reported to Child Protective Services or to a Law Enforcement Agency with
jurisdiction. It is further required
that an employee or subcontractor (Foster Parent) make a report to Child
Protective Services or to a Law Enforcement Agency with jurisdiction if there
is reasonable cause to believe that child abuse, neglect, or exploitation may have occurred. In addition, Service Alternatives’ policy
requires that any suspected child-to-child abuse would be reported immediately to your Primary Contact. When in doubt
about any situation, call your Primary Contact as soon as possible if you have
any questions about whether it is reportable.
Fill out an incident report immediately after making the appropriate
notifications and notify your Primary Contact.
Reporting “Immediately” means: First intervening
in order to stop the harmful situation; second, provide medical care if needed;
and third, make the call to the appropriate authorities. If interventions or medical treatment are not
needed, the expectation of “immediately” is within 10 minutes.
It
should be noted that under licensing law, “exploitation” has a much broader
definition than the commonly accepted one.
In the licensing law, exploitation is defined as ‘when an adult knows or
should have known of abuse but failed to take appropriate action to notify or
prevent reoccurrence.’
Before
licensure, Foster Parent(s) will review the publication, Recognizing and
Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect, An Explanation of Oregon’s Mandatory
Reporting Law. Foster Parent(s) must
receive CPS/Mandatory Reporter’s Training every six (6) months. Foster Parent(s) shall sign documentation of
attendance and understanding of the training.
The signature will also indicate willingness to comply with the
reporting guidelines.
2)
Discipline and SECURE:
Foster
Parent(s) are to ensure a positive discipline structure for foster children who
lack the internal controls to monitor and manage their own behavior. The goal is that, through the use of a
structured environment and role modeling, the child will gain the skills
necessary to improve his/her ability to self manage. Positive behavioral supports will be the
primary focus in all interactions between Foster Parent(s) and foster
children. The philosophy and working
model regarding positive behavioral support includes the decision to
productively change or mold a negative behavior while increasing and replacing
that behavior with a new and more functionally appropriate behavior. The choice of behavioral management
interventions will be based upon an understanding of the child's developmental
stage and his/her behavioral needs.
Actual disciplinary interventions will be used only when positive behavioral
support methods have not been effective, as a means to improve the foster
child's ability to develop internal controls, acceptable behavior, and respect
for the rights of others.
Acceptable
“no hands on” disciplinary interventions include, but are not limited to,
modeling appropriate behavior, natural consequences (when safe), and loss of
privileges, level systems, and short time outs. Always confer with your SA Case Manager
before trying any new “no hands on” techniques, or immediately after using an
improvised “no hands on” technique.
Many “no hands on” techniques may be considered too intrusive to be used
with a given child, and it is important to be consistently monitoring and
reviewing the appropriateness of any given intervention.
In
accordance with OAR 413-200-0333 Foster Parent(s) will clearly write down the
disciplinary practices that will be used within their family. This document is to be completed prior to
being licensed.
When Foster
Parent(s) are properly trained in SECURE techniques and the child’s team has
approved specific therapeutic interventions for the child, then only the
approved SECURE techniques are acceptable physical interventions to be used
with the foster child. The specific type of therapeutic intervention must be
approved in advance by the child’s team and it must be used in accordance with
the goals and objectives outlined in the child’s support plan. In order to use a therapeutic physical
intervention, an individual must have a current SECURE certification. Furthermore, the person employing SECURE must
not attempt to recruit untrained or uncertified individuals to assist in a
SECURE therapeutic physical intervention.
SECURE training highlights the value of prevention, de-escalation, and
preserving the dignity of the child when a child may become dangerous to
themselves or others.
Any situation
requiring a therapeutic physical intervention will be promptly documented in an
Incident Report and reported to the SA, Inc. Primary Contact. Use of Non-SECURE physical interventions may
injure a child and will be considered sufficient grounds to recommend
termination of a foster care license.
3)
Emergency Response:
Foster
Parent(s) will treat all medical issues and incidents as serious and will
provide professional medical attention as necessary and in a responsible and
timely manner. When professional
medical attention is needed, Foster Parent(s) shall inform the Licenser and
Primary Contact immediately; then submit a written Incident Report within 24
hours. The Incident Report shall include
a statement by the physician responsible for treatment. In addition, all homes
are required to post a list of emergency numbers for quick access. This list
shall include: all emergency phone numbers; the name and phone number of the
nearest hospital, with directions; and phone number for poison control. This list shall be reviewed on a regular
basis with all children placed in the home.
4)
Evacuation Procedure:
In accordance
with OAR 413-200-0320, Foster Parent(s) shall instruct all persons in care in
emergency evacuation procedures. Foster
Parent(s) are to conduct drills with all children in the home at monthly
intervals to test and practice the procedures.
A written floor plan of the home will be submitted to the Foster Care
Licenser that shows evacuation routes and meeting places.
5)
Health and Safety Inspections:
SA, Inc. will,
on occasion, complete Health and Safety Inspections of your home. These inspections may include interviewing
the Foster Parent(s), the foster child(ren), and other people in the home;
along with walking through the house and property for an overall safety check.
Health and
Safety Inspections will usually be pre-arranged for a time that is convenient
to the Foster Parent(s). On occasion, additional Health and Safety inspections
may be completed on a drop-in basis due to various circumstances. It is the expectation that SA, Inc. Foster
Parent(s) will participate in all scheduled inspections, and will comply with
suggested follow through. SA, Inc. may
also conduct unannounced “drop in” visits that are not related to Health and
Safety Inspections.
6)
HIV/BBP:
SA, Inc. cannot
disclose to foster Parent(s) the HIV status of the children we serve. SA, Inc. cannot authorize the HIV testing of
any child in our care. Any questions
regarding the HIV status of a child need to be directed to the child’s Social
Worker. According to the State
Children’s Administration Policy Manual, you have a right to know before
placement if a child is known to be HIV positive.
7)
Medications:
Foster Parent(s)
are held responsible for complying with OAR 413-200-0330(2)
In addition:
a)
Foster Parent(s) shall administer all prescription
medication only as prescribed by the
child’s physician. No changes to a
child’s medication shall be made without written consent from a physician,
child’s social worker, and other designee (i.e., biological parent).
b)
Non-prescription medication must be approved in writing by
a physician prior to administration to child, and administered only as directed
by manufacturer’s label and/or child’s physician.
c)
Psychotropic medication (mind or mood altering medication)
must have written approval by the child’s biological parent(s), legal guardian,
or child him or herself if fourteen or older.
In some cases, the child’s DHS Social Worker may give the written
approval.
d)
No medication that belongs to one child can be given to
another child.
|
type of
medication |
written
approval from: |
Administration |
|
Psychotropic |
bio parent/physician/DHS |
as prescribed |
|
other prescription |
physician/DHS |
as prescribed |
|
non prescription |
Physician |
label / Dr. recommendation |
e) All medication
shall be documented in writing each time it is administered. Documentation shall include the name of the
prescribing physician, the name of medication, dosage, date and time it was
administered, and initials of supervising adult. A copy of the prescription must be made
available to SA, Inc. for initial prescriptions as well as any changes. This documentation shall be placed in the
child’s file.
f) The Foster
Parent(s) and the child’s physician will develop a clear outline of the
procedures to be followed in the event of missed medication. The child’s team,
including the Social Worker, and physician, must approve the procedure. A specific procedure is to be developed for
each medication for each foster child in the home. An Incident Report with the physician’s
response will be submitted within 24 hours of any instance of missed
medication.
Any instance in which a child took the wrong dosage,
the wrong
medication,
or had unsupervised
access to medications,
shall be treated as
a medical emergency.
8) Sexually
Explicit Materials:
Sexually explicit materials are to be
kept inaccessible to foster children.
Exceptions may be granted when the child’s team pre-approves sexually
explicit materials that have clear medical or social value.
9) Weapon Safety:
Any
weapons and /or firearms are to be kept locked and unloaded. Ammunition is to be locked and stored separately
from the weapons. (OAR
413-200-0318) SA, Inc. Foster Care
Licenser may require additional safeguards, depending on the weapon. The use of a firearm and/or weapon with a
foster child is prohibited unless specifically addressed in the child’s the Individual Service and Treatment Plan and the child’s team has approved the plan. The child must have a current certificate
from a certified state and/or federal firearm safety class prior to any firearm and/or weapon use.
At any time an unannounced inspection
may take place by the SA, Inc. Licenser to ensure proper storage of weapons
and/or firearms. Weapons and/or firearms
include, but are not limited to, BB guns, sling shots, rifles, handguns, bow
and arrows, pepper spray or mace, hunting knifes and any martial arts weapons.
10) Flammable
Materials:
Flammable materials are to be kept inaccessible
to foster children. Many children in
care have fascination with fire or actually engage in fire setting. Some may use petroleum products as inhalants. It is very important to keep matches,
lighters, gasoline, and other combustible materials away from children.
1) Prior to
licensing:
Regular
Foster Care
|
Provided by Service Alternatives |
|
|
|
Foster
Parent Orientation
|
3 hrs |
|
|
|
First Aid / CPR |
7 hrs |
|
|
|
HIV/Hep B/ BBP training |
6 hrs |
|
|
|
Pre-Service |
17 hrs |
|
|
|
Provided by Service Alternatives |
|
|
|
Foster
Parent Orientation
|
3 hrs |
Pre-Service/PRIDE |
17 hrs |
|
First Aid / CPR |
7 hrs |
PRIDE In-service |
60 hours |
|
Health and Safety Day |
8 hrs |
|
|
|
HIV/Hep B/ BBP training |
6 hrs |
|
|
|
SECURE |
16 hrs |
|
|
Therapeutic Foster
Care (2 years relevant experience)
|
Provided by Service Alternatives |
|
|
|
Foster
Parent Orientation
|
3 hrs |
Pre-Service |
17 hrs |
|
First Aid / CPR |
7 hrs |
PRIDE In-Service |
60 hours |
|
Family Services Orientation (Day
2) |
8 hrs |
|
|
|
HIV/Hep B/ BBP training |
6 hrs |
|
|
|
SECURE |
16 hrs |
|
|
Contact your Licenser to find out the
most efficient way to sign up for classes.
In some circumstances you may be able to substitute trainings from other
sources such as the Red Cross, or a College or University.
Specialized and Therapeutic Foster
Parent(s) are entitled to a one-time, $100.00 bonus on completion of the above
trainings, and three months in good standing as a Service Alternatives Foster
Parent. Each Foster Parent in a
two-parent home may receive a bonus after each completes the all the
trainings.
2) Continuing
education/ training:
Monthly Foster Parent meetings are
arranged by your SA Licenser. These
meetings provide ongoing training as well as pertinent information, and
informal support. Attendance at your monthly foster parent meeting is mandatory
for Specialized and Therapeutic Foster Parent(s). Foster parents working in our Regular Foster
Care program are encouraged to attend.
CPR and First Aid certifications are required to be current
for all caregivers in the home. A lapse may jeopardize your license and
may force Service Alternatives to make alternate arrangements in order to
safely care for the foster children (additional cost to be deducted from your
reimbursement).
|
Training |
Expires |
|
CPR |
1 year |
|
First Aid |
3 years |
|
SECURE |
1 year |
|
HIV / Hep B / BBP |
1 year |
|
CPS / Mandatory Reporting |
6 months |
J)
How does the
Licenser decide whether to recommend that our family be licensed?
The Service Alternatives Foster Care
Licenser will review all of the written documentation you have submitted, the
results of the background checks, the results of any additional evaluations you
have completed, the recommendations of your references, the quality of
interactions you have had with the Licenser and other Service Alternative
staff, DHS Social Workers, etc., the physical condition of your home, and any
other relevant information they have received.
Once the licenser has assembled an accurate picture of how well your
family is likely to provide therapeutic care to the children we serve, and how
well your family is likely to work with our agency, then the licenser will know
whether or not to recommend that your family be licensed.
Recommending that you be licensed
and the ongoing supervision of your license are strictly at the discretion of
Service Alternatives. At any point in
the licensing process, the licenser may decide that your family is not a good
match for our program. That does not
necessarily mean that you are not suited to be Foster Parent(s), but it does
mean that you would need to seek licensure through another Private Agency or
DHS.
Even after licensure, employees of
Service Alternatives may find that a family’s pattern of care, professionalism,
or communication falls below the standards we set for our foster families and
ourselves. Where possible, the licenser
may choose to work with the family in order to help them provide the quality of
care and service we expect. When the
concerns are too serious or the pattern too long-standing, the licenser has the
right to terminate supervision of the family’s license.
We
are looking for exceptional families to provide exceptional care to exceptional
children. If you believe you qualify, and
you are willing to work with our agency to provide guidance and support to you
in developing your skills, then we want to work with you.
III)
How does a
foster child through Service Alternatives get placed into my home?
A)
Do I have a
choice of what type of child comes into my home?
Yes. Let the Foster Care Licenser know what type
of child for whom you believe you can provide the best care and what level of
care you feel would be best for your family.
You can have your license be valid for a specific gender and/or specific
ages. You may decide to have a more
general license, but indicate a preference to your licenser.
For our
Specialized and Therapeutic Foster Care Program, the vast majority of children
who come into our care are in their teens.
Younger children are referred to our Specialized and Therapeutic Foster
Care Program very infrequently, and they usually present severe challenges. Be
aware that the more particular you are, the fewer children we will have that
will fit your profile. If you are looking
for a child that will present few, if any, challenges then you will want to
consider our Regular Foster Care Program or be aware that it will probably be
longer before a suitable match can be found.
Your licenser or
manager will work with you when it comes to recommending appropriate
matches. Sometimes they may suggest a
child that meets some, but not all, of your preferences. This will be a good faith effort to meet the
more important requirements you have presented in a way that you may not have
anticipated, while addressing the needs of a child whose current placement is
less appropriate than your home. Please
remember that our primary goal is to serve children well.
B)
What does the
ideal placement process look like?
Once you have
identified a child whom you and your licenser or manager believes might be
suitable in your household, then you will have an opportunity to meet the child
and read the child’s file. As an agency,
we value opportunity to know children, to help with transition, and to make
sure placements are the most appropriate.
We will make any and all information we possess about a child available
to you prior to a child being placed into your home. It is mandated that you review all the
material and that you sign the Respite and Placement Documentation Form (Form
III B &C) prior to accepting a
child for placement.
All information contained in the child’s file
is confidential and is not to be disclosed to unauthorized parties. Any concerns you have that may arise at the
time of the file review need to be brought up, and any questions unanswerable
by the agency representative may be directed to another party involved in the
child’s team, such as the DHS social worker.
You will have a
chance to meet the child in a neutral setting.
You are encouraged to invite the child into your home for respite for a
night or two, as you get to know one another.
Be very cautious about commitments you make to the child before you have
gotten to know them! If you do make a
commitment, be prepared to follow through.
More often than not, the child has good reason not to trust adults, and
will test you to see if you are more reliable than many of the key adults in
their life to date.
The manager may
ask you to take the child as a placement if the initial meetings and contacts
go well.
C)
What about
children who need emergency placement or respite?
Sometimes, we
don’t have as much time as we would like to have a smooth transition. Children may need emergency placement for a
wide variety of reasons, and the children may be either known to our agency or
virtually unknown. If you have an extra
bed available, and your license allows, we may call you with a request for an
emergency placement. You always have the
right and responsibility to decline if you believe you are not able to take an
additional child, even for a short period of time.
If you accept a
child into your home after normal business hours at very short notice, make
sure you have at a minimum the items in the respite section of the Respite and
Placement Documentation Form (Form III B &C). We will ask you to sign the
form after reviewing the child’s file, but before accepting the child into your
home for placement. DO NOT ACCEPT A CHILD INTO YOUR HOME FOR EVEN
A FEW HOURS WITHOUT SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR
NOT THE CHILD IS LIKELY TO BE AN APPROPRIATE MATCH FOR YOUR SKILLS AND YOUR
HOUSEHOLD. Our only way to ascertain
that you have received enough information to make a well-informed decision is
to have the Respite and Placement Documentation form completed and signed prior
to respite or placement.
D)
Once I’m
licensed, what if somebody besides Service Alternatives asks me to take a
child?
You are only
permitted to take children who have been referred to you by our agency. If anyone
besides a representative of SA, Inc. (including
DHS) approaches you, please tell that person that you need to speak with
SA, Inc. first, and give your licenser or program manager a call. In some special circumstances we will be able
to work out an agreement to take the child if you wish.
There can be
very serious consequences to taking children from sources other than our
agency. These can range anywhere from
payment problems to losing your license.
A)
Do I need to
give the child allowance?
While the SSFC-s do not
contain specific allowance guidelines for foster children, SA believes
strongly that, for some children, having their own spending money is
therapeutically recommended and highly empowering. Therefore, it is SA's
expectation that the subject of allowance is discussed at the child's initial
team meeting (to occur within 30 days of placement with SA). If the
child's support team agrees that receiving allowance is appropriate for the
child, allowance guidelines (including amount, contingencies, documentation)
will be outlined in the child's IBMP/ISTP. Until the team meeting occurs,
the child's Case Manager and the Foster Parent(s) will
agree on allowance guidelines and document them in the child's IBMP/ISTP."
Portions of a
child’s allowance may only be utilized for damage compensation when it is
stated in his/her signed the Individual Service and Treatment Plan. Foster Parent(s) are to document the disbursement
of allowance and include any deductions made from the total amount of
allowance.
B)
Do I need to buy
clothing for the child?
You receive a reimbursement rate that is sufficient to include
expenses for appropriate clothing for the foster children. You are not to charge SA, Inc., DHS, Parent(s)
or foster children for clothing and/or personal incidentals provided to foster
children. This provision does not
preclude voluntary contributions of clothing by Parent(s) and other
individuals.
It is your responsibility
to provide appropriate clothing for children placed in your home. This includes appropriate clothing for all
seasons, and clothing that is comparable to the standard of clothing provided
for other children in your home. Special
requests may be made to the SA, Inc. Primary Contact for reimbursement of exceptional clothing costs. The SA, Inc. Primary Contact, must receive
approval from the Program Manager and Regional Administrator for all
exceptional cost reimbursements.
Approval must be given before
you make any purchases. We will respond
to written requests within 10 days of receipt.
Under some
circumstances, clothing vouchers may be available for Regular Foster Children through DHS upon placement and/or
annually. Clothing vouchers must be
authorized and obtained through the child’s DHS Social Worker.
C)
Do I need to
keep a record of everything the child owns?
It is very important that you
inventory all of a child’s possessions when the child arrives in your
home. Whenever there are occasions that
the child receives a large number of gifts we recommend that you inventory the
gifts. Under normal circumstances we recommend that you inventory everything at
least monthly. If there are special
circumstances, such as fears the child is stealing or selling their
possessions, it may be necessary to inventory more frequently.
If you are aware
of possessions that are missing or broken, document what happened to the
item. You can be held financially
responsible for undocumented missing items.
D)
Am I responsible
for providing transportation for the foster child?
Yes. You are expected to provide transportation
for the child to most regular functions such as educational activities, visits
to health professionals, recreational activities, and other activities
appropriate to the age and needs of the foster child. If your foster child is
able to use public transportation, you will be expected to provide the fare
necessary to access the transportation.
We acknowledge
that there may be situations where the transportation needs of a child are too
great to expect you to bear the entire cost.
In those instances, we can grant exceptions only when you have received
advanced approval from the program manager. Please remember that our agency
cannot be expected to reimburse travel expenses that were incurred without our
knowledge and approval.
E)
Are there visits
with the foster child’s biological family?
Visits with family members and friends
is strongly encouraged by Service Alternatives and all means possible to
support such visits are taken. The child’s team determines who the child may
have visits with, including whether or not visits need to be supervised by
another adult.
F)
Can the child
have phone contact?
Phone contact with friends and family is
an important part of maintaining relationships. For some children, it is the
primary method of keeping in touch. Because of this, SA strongly supports
frequent phone contact with friends, family and professionals involved in the
child’s life. A list of whom the child may and may not have contact is
established by the child’s support team. Phone contact will only be restricted
when it is determined to have an adverse effect on the therapeutic functioning
of the milieu. The phone list shall be kept in a location at each site that is
easily accessible to staff and family members. The child also has access to the
phone numbers. Phone calls will be monitored as determined by the child’s team.
G)
Can the child
receive mail?
Children in all programs are allowed to
send and receive mail freely, unless otherwise determined by the team. If it is
suspected that a piece of mail may contain illegal contents, it should be given
directly to the caregiver, parent, or other adult supervising the child who can
be with the child when it is opened. A supervising adult should retrieve the
mail from the
mailbox to prevent theft of others.
H)
How closely do I
need to supervise the child?
It is expected
that children in foster care will have competent supervision at all times. A supervising adult must be cleared through a
criminal background check that is returned satisfactory, and have approval from
SA, Inc. prior to providing
supervision. Each child will have an individual supervision plan that is to be
followed at all times. The child’s team
must approve any changes made to the child’s supervision plan. The Foster Parent(s) will sign and date their
supervision plan and this documentation will be attached to the child’s
Individual Service and Treatment Plan and will be kept in the child’s file with
a copy given to the Foster Parent(s). No other children (biological or foster
children) shall be placed under the care or supervision of a foster child at
any time for any reason.
Basic
Supervision Guidelines:
If you find yourself in a situation where you are responsible for
supervision of a child that is unfamiliar to you, you must supervise the child
very closely:
1.
If child is with
other children:
Maintain line of sight supervision at
all times.
Stay within earshot as much as possible.
Allow restroom use by child only under
direct supervision OR:
if opposite gender,
make sure child is alone in restroom by
finding single room or checking beforehand.
If you need a break, find another
cleared adult to supervise in your absence, or
separate child from other children and
follow next set of guidelines.
2.
If child is
alone:
Maintain line of
sight and earshot supervision as often as possible. Under no circumstance may supervision lapse
for more than 15 minutes while child is awake.
3.
If child is
asleep:
If permitted by
SA, Inc. primary contact, set door and window alarms.
Check on child
as frequently as possible while still meeting your own sleep needs.
Yes, you are expected to provide a secure area for
information about any child placed in your home. Information in this area is to be
inaccessible to other children in the home as well as to all visitors.
A)
What
documentation do I need to complete on a regular basis?
Specialized and Therapeutic Foster
Parent(s) are required to complete the following documentation:
Weekly: Upon the placement
of a child, the Foster Parent(s) shall complete a summary on a weekly
basis. The child’s team determines
stabilization. Documentation shall
include goal progression, daily behavioral patterns, community activities, all
medical visits, dental appointments, therapy appointments, etc.
Medication:
Foster Parent(s) shall document when and who administers
medication. Refer to the medication
policy. A copy of the medication
prescription must be given to the Primary Contact within SA, Inc.
Allowance: Foster Parent(s) shall document the
amount of allowance given. Refer to the
Allowance policy.
Regular Foster
Parent(s) are required to complete the following documentation:
Placement: Placement
summary that includes documentation of initial medical/dental visits,
enrollment in school or other services.
Placement summary forms will be provided.
Medication: If regular
foster child takes medication, Foster Parent(s) shall document when and who
administers the medication. Medication
tracking forms will be provided.
Monthly: A monthly summary
shall be completed by the Foster Parent(s) that will include the child’s
progress in school or other services, any concerns, milestones, medical/dental
visits, etc. Monthly summary forms will
be provided.
B)
What other
written documentation might I need to complete?
Incident Reports: An incident report shall be completed
for any incident involving, but not limited to, an injury to the child, a call
to CPS, property damage, physical aggression, allegations, disclosures,
etc. The report is to be written at the
earliest time possible and made available to the Primary Contact with SA, Inc.
within 24 hours after the incident.
C)
If I have a
friend or relative staying over, do I need to tell anyone at SA? What about other house guests?
Relatives and Friends: Foster Parent(s) shall inform
their foster care Licenser prior to family members and friends staying in the
foster home overnight. If the visitors
are expected to stay longer than 2 consecutive weeks, a criminal history and
background clearance must be filled out and cleared prior to arrival in the
home (if possible). Guests are to
receive approval from the SA, Inc. foster care Licenser prior to staying overnight.
Under no circumstances may the houseguest supervise the child or have
any unsupervised contact with the child without a cleared background check and
approval by SA, Inc.
Foreign Exchange Students: It is the clear understanding
that Foster Parent(s) with SA, Inc. will not be a host family for foreign
exchange students. Unusual circumstances
and/or exceptions must be approved by a Regional Administrator personnel in
writing prior to a student staying in the home.
D)
What other
changes in my household do I need to inform the licenser about?
Foster Parent(s) must
immediately report to their SA, Inc. Foster Care Licenser any change in
residence, marital status, employment, significant changes in the household
composition, a violent episode within the household, death or hospitalization
of a member of the household, a member of the household getting arrested,
and/or need of a substitute caretaker for the foster child. Foster Parent(s) must notify their SA, Inc.
Foster Care Licenser prior to another individual moving into the home.
|
Circumstance: |
Type of report |
Report to: |
Timeframe: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Child abuse or neglect |
verbal |
CPS |
immediately |
|
|
verbal |
Service Alternatives Primary
Contact |
immediately |
|
|
verbal |
Service
Alternatives Licenser |
immediately |
|
|
written IR |
Service Alternatives Primary
Contact |
12 hrs |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Death or injury of child |
verbal |
immediately |
|
|
|
verbal |
Service Alternatives Primary
Contact |
immediately |
|
|
verbal |
Service
Alternatives Licenser |
immediately |
|
|
written IR |
Service Alternatives Primary
Contact |
12 hrs-injury immediately-death |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Child runs |
verbal |
Service Alternatives Primary
Contact |
immediately |
|
|
verbal |
Police |
immediately |
|
|
written IR |
Service Alternatives Primary
Contact |
12 hrs |
|
|
verbal |
DHS Social Worker /CPS as
directed by Primary Contact |
24 hrs |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Arrest of child or member of household OR violent incident in home |
verbal |
Service Alternatives Primary
Contact |
8 hrs |
|
|
verbal |
Service Alternatives Licenser |
8 hrs |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Receipt of summons, subpoena, or other legal notice |
verbal |
Service Alternatives Licenser |
24 hrs |
|
|
|
|
|
|
verbal |
one week |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Someone moves in or out of house |
verbal |
Service
Alternatives Licenser |
prior notice required (P.N.R.) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change of marital status |
verbal |
Service
Alternatives Licenser |
P.N.R. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Structural change of house or
grounds |
verbal |
Service
Alternatives Licenser |
P.N.R. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change of residence |
verbal |
Service
Alternatives Licenser |
P.N.R. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change of employment |
verbal |
Service
Alternatives Licenser |
P.N.R. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Taking children out of state or
country (out of county for children on probation) |
verbal |
DHS Social Worker – need written
authorization |
P.N.R. |
|
|
verbal |
Service
Alternatives Licenser |
P.N.R. |
|
|
|
|
|
A)
Who will be my
primary contact when I have questions or ideas about the care of my foster
child?
In most cases,
the SA, Inc. Case Manager will be the person directly responsible for the
therapeutic care of your foster child.
The Case Manager may or may not be your Primary Contact, however. As each program is structured differently, it
is important to maintain open and clear communication with the person
identified as your Primary Contact.
Always attempt to communicate with your Primary Contact before calling
anyone else.
B)
What
reimbursement can I expect for the work I put into helping the child become
more successful?
The monthly reimbursement paid to you covers all expenses for the
child’s room and board, transportation, clothing, and personal incidentals,
i.e., hygiene products, school supplies, etc.
Regular foster care reimbursement will be agreed and paid by the
placement agency (Washington
State DSHS, Idaho State DHW, Oregon State DHS,
private agency).
Specialized and Therapeutic Foster Care reimbursement paid to you covers
all expenses for the child’s room and board, transportation, clothing, and
personal incidentals, i.e., hygiene products, school supplies, etc. This reimbursement also includes money for
you to purchase health benefits for yourself, money for you to purchase
endorsements covering foster children in your home or renters’ liability
insurance, as well as $37.50 per month “damage reimbursement” for damages to
your home incurred by a foster child.
SA, Inc. will pay $1,500 per month ($49.30) for your services
to children served under the therapeutic
foster care program. A rate of $1,000 per month ($32.87) will be paid
for children served under the specialized
foster care program.
2-In some cases a child may qualify for therapeutic and then
transition into a specialized foster care placement. If, for example, you would
like to consider being a long-term resource for the child, and the child’s
behavior has stabilized, the rate would change from $1500 to $1,000. This may be the first step towards the child
moving toward permanency. You may
specifically state that you will not be able to accept a child into long-term
low intensity therapeutic foster care, in which case we may need to seek other
options for the child in question.
Reimbursement rates at placement
|
CONTINUUM OF CARE |
REIMBURSEMENT RATE |
|
Regular Foster Care |
Agreed amount by placement
agency and foster family (typically between $366.00 to $700.00 per month) |
|
Specialized Foster Care |
$1,000 per child |
|
Therapeutic Foster Care |
$1,500 per child |
It is your responsibility to consult your own tax professional in
regards to tax advice and/or guidance.
Please note that OAR 413-200-0354(1j) states that foster families shall
have a sufficient regular income to maintain their own family without including
the money received for reimbursement.
You must submit a monthly reimbursement form by the first day of
the month for the previous month’s services.
Submit the form to your SA, Inc. Primary Contact.
C)
What if the
child damages my belongings?
For Specialized and Therapeutic Foster care, you receive $37.50
per month “damage reimbursement” as part of your regular reimbursement in order
to cover damages to your home caused by the foster child. We advise that you put the damage
reimbursement aside each month in order to cover future damages. If you endure excessive damage to your home
or property (greater than $450.00 per child per year) we will work with you in
order to reduce future damages and to explore other creative ways to repair
existing damages. An example would be
for you to work with your supporting program to receive maintenance support.
For all Foster Parent(s), you are partially covered under the
state Foster Parent Reimbursement Plan.
Please note that this coverage is not always guaranteed for SA, Inc.
Foster Parent(s) specialized and therapeutic foster parent(s). Reimbursement exclusions include, but are not
limited to “Occurrences dealing with excessive amounts of alcohol or illegal
substances; alienation of affection; gross negligence; illegal acts; any
approval or operation of any vehicle (plane, boat, auto); sexual abuse or
immoral behavior; or any mysterious or unsubstantiated claim”.
D)
What if the
foster child damages someone else’s belongings?
The most
reliable insurance coverage for damage incurred by foster children is contained
in your homeowner’s insurance policy.
You are required to obtain
liability coverage. It is important that
you establish that the policy covers acts of foster children that might result
in property damage and other occurrences for which you may be held liable. If your homeowner’s policy does not contain a
specific provision covering foster children, we recommend that you contact your
insurance agent to obtain such coverage.
If you are not a homeowner, and are renting, we require that you obtain renter’s insurance that would cover any
damage incurred by foster children.
Often, there is
a deductible that must be met prior to the insurance paying for the
damages. When the damage is the result
of a foster child’s actions, a written proposal to SA, Inc. may result in the
insurance deductible being paid by SA, Inc.
If the child was not properly supervised, and/or the Foster Parent(s)
were found negligent, SA, Inc. may choose not to pay the deductible.
E)
How often can I
expect respite?
Specialized and
therapeutic foster parent(s) are eligible for 2 days of out-of-home respite per
month. A day is defined as an 8-hour
block of time, but may include additional hours of care, up to 24 hours, when
respite includes an overnight stay. If a child goes to their biological family
on the weekend that will be considered respite for your family. It is expected
that you also provide respite for other SA, Inc. Foster Parent(s). The standard respite rate is $50.00 per
night, per child.
Respite for
Regular Foster Care must be negotiated through the child’s DHS social
worker. Rates and frequency will vary
from those of specialized and therapeutic level children. As much as possible, Service Alternatives
will help regular foster parents negotiate needed services with DHS.
Levels of support vary based on the
needs of each specific child and what level of care they require. Your Service
Alternatives’ primary contact will communicate with you regarding the
appropriate level of support.
Specialized Foster Parent(s) receive 5 days of
paid vacation after 12 cumulative months of having an active Foster Care License
with SA. Therapeutic Foster Parent(s)
receive 7 days of paid vacation after 12 cumulative months of having an active
Foster Care License with SA. The
reimbursement rate to be paid while the Foster Parent(s) are on vacation will
be based on who is in placement at the time you take vacation. Two-months notice must be given in order for
us to assist you in making arrangements for your foster children. Vacation time must be used annually, and may
not be accrued. For specialized and
therapeutic foster parent(s), after six full years of licensure with Service
Alternatives, you will receive 2 weeks of paid vacation annually.
I)
How does your agency store paperwork about our family?
Each Regional
Foster Care Licenser will have a locked file or cabinet to store protected
information about your family members, including, but not limited to: history
and current status of medical conditions; therapeutic, psychiatric, and
substance abuse treatment; and criminal background. Lock and key will secure the file or cabinet.
Keys will be held by: The Regional Licenser
The Regional Administrator of Foster
Care
The Regional Administrator (or
designee)
DHS will be able
to access your file when proper procedures are followed.
Specific
information about foster children, including, but not limited to, documents
with the child’s full name, shall be kept separate from the foster family file
by the SA, Inc. Licenser and Case Manager.
In all cases
where information is stored separately, a notation will be included in the
foster family file that states the type and location of the information, (i.e. Individual Service and Treatment Plan
– upper left file – under child’s
name).
VII)
What if we get
attached and want to keep a child?
A)
How long do
Specialized and Therapeutic Foster Care services usually last?
The overall goal of both Specialized and
Therapeutic Foster Care is to assist the child in developing those skills
necessary to live in a permanent, family like setting. Most of the time, these services last
approximately 18 months.
B)
What options are
available for long-term care?
If you would like to be considered as a
permanent option for a child in your home, there are several types of care you
may be able to provide:
1. Therapeutic
foster care to Specialized foster care: In this situation, a child has stabilized and
is moving toward permanency. The child
may have ongoing needs for a level of supervision and supports that exceed
those that are traditionally offered by regular foster care. Depending upon the needs of the child, the
services and rate may be decreased to Specialized foster care.
2. Long-term foster
care: Here you make a
commitment to keep the child for an extended period of time, perhaps even to
the age of 18. This is the natural
transition to regular foster care of that child. You remain licensed with our agency and you
will generally be required to enter into a contractual arrangement with DHS in
order to determine who is responsible for carrying through case planning and
rate of reimbursement. It is sometimes
possible to receive some limited direct service from our agency.
3. Guardianship: Here you gain legal authority to supervise
the dependency of the child in your care until the child turns 18. This means that you will be obligated to
provide care for the child and you will be able to give consent for medical,
social, and school activities. If you
are willing and able to continue to provide care to the child in compliance
with our agency’s contractual obligations to DHS, then our agency may be able
to continue working with you as one of our foster families. As with long-term foster care, you will most
likely be required to enter into a contractual arrangement with DHS in order to
determine your rate of reimbursement.
4. Adoption: Here you legally establish a parent and child
relationship. In some cases adoption
support services may be available. It is
unlikely that our agency will continue to provide you with services for your
child once adopted.
C)
How do we go about
exploring these options?
If you are interested in any of these
options, you need to consult with both your SA Primary Contact and your
Licenser. Do not, under any
circumstances, enter into direct negotiations with the child’s DHS Social Worker
without the knowledge and approval of Service Alternatives. The most successful plans have been well
thought out and provide for contingency
planning in case the child decompensates.
Items that need to be addressed directly include legal status of the
child, continuity of payment, case planning, service provision, and supervision
of your foster care license. Failure to
address each one of these areas may jeopardize our agency’s ability to continue
working with your family.
D)
How would a
transition into long-term care affect our reimbursement rate?
Our Therapeutic and Specialized Foster
Care reimbursement schedule is specifically designed for you to be able to
provide an intensive level of support to the foster child. Once your foster child no longer needs our agency’s
therapeutic services, he or she can transition into our regular foster care
program. The reimbursement rate at that
time will be determined by DHS. The
agreement you make with DHS regarding your reimbursement rate will stand for
the duration of your agreement with DHS.
Our agency’s interest and responsibilities in that agreement will be
limited to any terms outlined describing services provided by our agency. As you and your family may not be fully aware
of the many standing service agreements our agency may have with DHS, our
agency expects to be party to all child specific negotiations that affect the
placement, supervision, service provision, or legal status of the child; and
our agency reserves the right to terminate, without notice, any contract with a
family that has not included our agency in drafting child specific
agreements.
VIII)
What if a report
is made to Department of Human Services regarding our family?
Occasionally concerned community members and/or mandated reporters
such as support staff, teachers, doctors, etc. may have concerns about your
home or the children you serve. They
will call these concerns in to Department of Human Services (DHS), as required
by law. DHS will assess the information and make a decision to refer the report
to your Foster Care licenser as a licensing concern, to Children’s Protective
Services (CPS), or both.
If the report is assessed as a licensing complaint, DHS will
contact your SA Licenser to determine how to resolve the issue. Frequently, your SA Licenser will be asked to
look into the matter and work with you to take the necessary steps to correct
it, including but not limited to providing further documentation to clarify the
situation, completing recommended trainings in specialized areas, and or a
formal compliance agreement.
If the report is referred to CPS, the following steps will be
taken:
1.
CPS will notify SA, Inc. that a CPS referral has been
made. SA, Inc. and CPS will determine
how you will be notified. SA, Inc. will
cooperate fully with CPS regarding any and all referrals. SA, Inc. will not contact you with any
information regarding the CPS referral until directed to do so by CPS.
2.
If the foster child(ren) needs to be removed from your home
due to the allegations, SA, Inc. will be notified by DHS and arrangements will
be made immediately.
3.
A committee made up of at least three of the following
individuals shall determine if payment will continue to you while your foster
child(ren) is no longer under your care:
SA Foster Care Licenser, Program Manager, Regional Administrator of your
region, Regional Administrator of Foster Care, or an Administrator. You will be notified of the decision about
payment within two to five business days of notification of the CPS
referral. In investigations lasting more
than one month, the decision will be reviewed every 30 days. Payment will not continue if the referral is
due to clear noncompliance with the child’s supervision plan or admitted abuse
or neglect from the Foster Parent(s).
4.
Contact with SA, Inc. Licenser, Manager, and others shall
be limited to guidelines established by the CPS.
5.
SA, Inc. shall support DHS in every way possible in
achieving a resolution of the investigation.
In either instance, you are expected to professionally and promptly
respond to all requests from DHS, CPS and SA Inc., in order to complete the
investigation. Failure to do so may
forfeit ongoing payments if your foster children are no longer under your care
and may affect the status of your license with SA, Inc. Any follow up to the results of the
investigation shall be provided to you in writing.
IX)
What if I need a
child to leave?
You are expected to anticipate as much as possible any
circumstances that may lead you to request that a child leave your home. As stated on the first page of this manual:
At SA, we operate under the
philosophy of unconditional care,
meaning that we do not "give up" on children, nor do we deny services
to them. When children struggle in
foster homes, our first response is to increase the level of supports provided
to both the family and the child.
We expect your first response to be a request for assistance and a
willingness to try new and creative ways to better serve the child in your
home. If it is clear that every
reasonable effort has failed to produce an environment that helps the child
become more successful, you may request the child be placed elsewhere. You must give us thirty days notice in
writing for us to seek alternate placement for the child. Please consider very carefully your 30-day
notice request before you put it in writing.
Once the process has started it may be very difficult to stop. Also, an unreasonable 30-day notice request
may cause us to re-evaluate your status with our agency.
In emergency situations where you have a family crisis or the
child believably threatens serious harm and we are unable to provide sufficient
support and supervision to reasonably assure all remain safe, we will assist in
removing the child as soon as possible.
X)
How do I resolve
problems with Service Alternatives?
Misunderstandings and
disagreements occur in all organizations, and as subcontractors of SA, Inc.,
you are not likely to avoid them altogether.
To ensure effective professional relationships, it is important that such
matters are resolved before serious problems develop. Most incidents resolve themselves
naturally. You should first try to
resolve the problem with the other person or persons involved in the
issue.
Any time you have a problem with
a licenser that seriously effects yourself or the child for whom you are
providing care, and you are unable to resolve the issue by working directly
with them, we have developed a grievance procedure for you to utilize. All avenues to address conflict directly with
the individual(s) need to be exhausted prior to initiating a formal grievance.
You may take the following steps if a conflict arises that is not
resolved and/or a decision is made which is believed to adversely affect your
ability to carry out your contractual responsibilities as a foster parent. Your failure to meet any of the time
limitations shall constitute your withdrawal of the grievance.
satisfaction within ten (10) business
days of having received the grievance, you may request review by the following
committee:
XI)
What if I want
to leave Service Alternatives?
If
you wish to leave our agency, and you are in good standing, we will request
that you give us a minimum of thirty days written notice of your
intentions. When appropriate, we will
work with you in order to address or resolve the reasons for which you are
choosing to leave.
DEFINITIONS:
ACTIVE STATUS:
Foster Parent(s) having a current foster care license with SA. Inc. meeting all
SSFC’s and SA, Inc.’s standards, and are able and willing to have a foster
child placed.
BRS CONTRACT: Behavior Rehabilitation Services Contract,
the contract under which SA, Inc. serves children that need more intensive
services and structure than children typically served in the regular foster
care system. DHS determines which
children qualify to be served under the BRS contract.
CHILD’S TEAM: Each
child in care will have a team of individuals that consists of, but is not
limited to, the child’s Parent(s), (biological, foster, adopt,) DHS social
worker, Guardian ad Litem, therapist, school teacher, coach, probation officer,
etc.
CPS: Child Protective Services – responsible for
investigating allegations of abuse or neglect.
DCFS: Division of Children and Family Services (
DDD: Division of
Developmental Disabilities (
DHS: Department of
Human Services (
FOSTER PARENT(S): For the purpose of these policies, Foster
Parent(s) means a person or persons with a licensed foster home that is under
the supervision of Service Alternatives for Washington, Inc./Oregon Family
Services.
SSFC’s: Safety Standards for Foster Care, Relative
Care, and Adoptive Families. A copy of
the SSFC’s is given to Foster Parent(s) prior to receiving a foster care
license. Foster Parent(s) are required
to read and comply with all requirements listed. SSFC’s are extracts from the
Primary Contact (with SA, Inc.): Each foster
family will be given the name and number of their Primary Contact person within
Service Alternatives for Washington, Inc./Oregon Family
Services. This
person may be a Program Manager, a Case Manager, or In-home Supervisor. The Primary Contact will be identified, and
their role defined, prior to a child being placed into your home.
ORS:
OAR:
We/Us: Service Alternatives for Washington, Inc./