Foster Care Parenting Options Include:

Adoption from Foster Care

Foster care adoption serves children and youth in need of permanency through adoption. There is a particular need for families open to adopting sibling groups, school-age children and teens.

Bridge Care

Bridge Care provides temporary foster care placement while a birth mother selects an adoptive placement.

Concurrent Planning

Concurrent permanency planning is for families who can commit to working with the birth family and other professionals to help the child reunify, while at the same time committing to adoption in the event that reunification is not possible. This differs from foster care in that families commit to being a permanent resource for the child if reunification efforts are unsuccessful.

Emergency Shelter Care

Emergency shelter care provides short-term foster care for a child entering care for the first time or experiencing a change in placement, where a new foster home has not yet been identified. Children needing emergency shelter care have likely experienced recent trauma. A typical shelter care placement ends within 30 days.

Intensive Treatment in Foster Care (ITFC)

Intensive Treatment in Foster Care is flexible, intensive mental health services and care for a child who has experienced trauma and out-of-home placement. It is trauma-informed and includes a minimum of six hours of treatment services provided in the home or community with the child in foster care, the child’s family, and the licensed foster/kin/relative family. ITFC is provided by licensed professionals.

Kinship/Relative Foster Care

We strongly believe that, whenever possible, children should remain within their family of origin. Kinship care is licensed foster care provided by a member of the child’s extended family.

Respite Care

Respite care provides periodic weekend or short-term care with the intention of the child returning to the care of their parent/guardian or foster provider.

Therapeutic Host Homes (THH)

Therapeutic Host Homes assures children and youth with a disability — who are eligible for waivered services and require out-of-home care — have a nurturing, therapeutic foster family and supportive disability services.

Therapeutic Foster Care

Therapeutic Foster Care provides a child with a nurturing family environment with embedded therapeutic interventions, guidance and support tailored to meet the needs of each child. Foster families are especially trained to provide trauma-informed care. Therapeutic interventions, guidance, support and education are provided by a mental health practitioner or professional.

Traditional Foster Care

Traditional foster care families provide stability and structure for a child or sibling group in need of temporary care. Typical foster care placements last six to 12 months while the child’s parent(s) or guardian(s) work toward reunification.

Treatment Foster Care

Treatment foster care provides a safe, nurturing, family-based environment to a child with mental health and behavioral needs. The foster family receives specialized training and support to meet the individualized needs of the child in out-of-home care. Mental health services are provided in the foster home or community to support treatment and skill development goals.