Treatment Foster Care (BRS) has been a part of CFSF for most of our existence. Children served in this category of care generally have emotional, behavioral or mental health issues and at times a combination of all three. Generally, these children have been in the foster care system for an extended period of time and have made multiple moves. Children in this category range in age from 10 to 18, some even younger or older.
Foster parents who work with BRS children have a higher expectation of training annually and must be skilled in de-escalation and teaming with community partners. Within most of our BRS homes there is one parent with a flexible schedule allowing them to work with their BRS child or children.
CFSF BRS case workers are called Treatment Care Facilitators. These Facilitators function in a similar capacity to Case Managers, but are more involved in helping create a team and meeting all contractual requirements. Although BRS children present heightened challenges the goal of permanency is still the same.
Treatment Care Foster Parents are paid at a higher rate than those parenting regular foster children, but our goal is still to normalize and move these children toward least restrictive care. CFSF’s pay philosophy is quite simple and consistent with our belief that foster parents are the key to children in care. We believe foster parents who can offer direct care to children should be compensated for their work. We believe foster parents engaged in the day to day life of a child is FAR more beneficial to children than Case Aides or any other paid staff. This means ideally that Treatment Care Foster Parents will work intensively with the BRS children placed in their care in order to develop continuity of care and a sense of family for the child. We believe it is best for these children to have foster parents who:
Are engaged with child’s school – IEP
· Participate with child’s therapy
· Engage in activities with children
· Participate with child’s team in working toward permanency
· Work with child’s bio-family or family members in hopes of reunification
We do recognize that not all Treatment Care Foster Parents can work intensively in all these areas and Case Aides are available for those who need assistance. CFSF does adjust its reimbursement depending on the need for assistance (we will explain this to Treatment Care Foster Parents).
We have seen Treatment Care Foster Parents work miracles with children placed in their care. It is hard work and it is not for every foster parent. Each child deserves the opportunity for permanency and this, too, is our goal for BRS children.