Therapeutic foster care (TFC) is a specialized type of foster care that provides a temporary, family-based environment for youth with emotional, behavioral, or mental health needs, often those who have experienced trauma. TFC youth and families receive individualized treatment plans and specialized training to provide supportive environments.
TFC differs from traditional foster care as it serves youth with complex needs, such as trauma, developmental delays, or psychiatric diagnoses. These youth often require specialized care that traditional foster homes may not be equipped to provide.
Youth are aged 3 to 21 and typically from diverse cultures and backgrounds who require specialized social, emotional, or behavioral support.
DFS emphasizes extensive training, support from a team of professionals, and wrap-around behavioral health services to the youth placed in your home.
To become a therapeutic foster parent, you must be:
Youth are admitted into TFC because of the psychological and/or physical trauma they have experienced. They typically have developmental, social, and/or emotional disabilities, although the degree of needs varies based on the youth. Our youth are typically elementary to high school aged, with an increased need for middle and high school aged youth. Many have experienced abuse or neglect, leading to challenges such as:
Yes. Foster parents can specify age, gender, and behavioral preferences. DFS prioritizes careful matching to ensure successful placements. We provide detailed information about each youth and allow foster parents to make informed decisions. Once you become trained and certified as a therapeutic foster parent, we will call you when a potential placement that matches your criteria becomes available. At that time, we’ll share the youth’s needs with you and give you the opportunity to decide if that particular match would be a good fit for your family.
The duration varies based on individual circumstances, ranging from weeks to years, with an average of 12 to 18 months. Reunification with biological families is the primary goal. If reunification is not viable, adoption or independent living may be considered.
Reunification with their families is the primary goal for many youth in TFC. While many youth in our program are older and involved in decisions about their permanency, foster parents may express interest in adoption to the assigned legal guardian if a youth becomes eligible.
Yes, single individuals can become therapeutic foster parents, provided they have sufficient flexibility with their work and personal schedules to accommodate their foster youth’s schedule. Foster parents who are single should be prepared to identify a friend, family member, and/or neighbor to be a backup resource to watch the youth in care if they need help.
Yes, many foster parents work full- or part-time while caring for youth. There are no requirements that you be a stay-at-home parent in order to be a therapeutic foster parent. However, for our full-time providers, sufficient flexibility with their work and personal schedules is required to accommodate their foster youth’s schedule. It is also important to have support from family and friends that are approved by the agency.
Once admitted into DFS for services, TFC families can choose to utilize Medicaid or private insurance to cover the cost of medical or other therapeutic services.
As a therapeutic foster parent, you will always have full support from DFS including:
Yes, both caregivers must participate since both will be responsible for the care and well-being of youth placed in your care.
Yes, therapeutic foster parents must complete approximately 50 hours of pre-service training over seven weeks for licensing. Additionally, primary foster parents require 30 hours of annual continued training, while secondary foster parents need 20.
Most youth in TFC are involved with weekly or bi-weekly therapy, medical appointments, family visits, and community activities.
TFC parents are responsible for transportation to all appointments, including medical appointments, meetings at school and meetings with other professionals.
Yes, provided the youth has adequate bedroom space and the home is deemed safe and adequately equipped to raise youth.
Yes, a family member, or trusted adult, can provide backup care for foster youth. However, they must first pass a State of Alaska background check and provide a copy of their driver’s license to DFS.
The “reasonable and prudent parent standard” aims to give foster parents the authority to make every-day parenting decisions for foster youth in their care, much like any other parent would. This promotes “normalcy”, allowing youth to participate in age-appropriate activities and experiences. With this in mind, caregivers must make choices that prioritize the child’s health, safety, and best interests. Decisions should also consider the youth’s age, maturity, and developmental level.
DFS offers a weekly stipend to treatment foster parents to assist with the costs of care. Due to the specialized needs of youth in our program, treatment foster parents receive a higher stipend than those providing traditional foster care.
Serving Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley since 1995.
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