Foster Care Services
Foster and/or Adoptive Parenting
Foster and/or adoptive parents alternative living arrangements when it has been determined that a child cannot remain in the home of his/her biological parents.
CONCERN provides a variety of supportive services to families such as compensation, training, and respite. CONCERN matches children with families who are able to best meet their needs.
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It takes a special person to become a foster/adoptive parent. Opening your home to children who need your love and care is a significant contribution to making a difference in the lives of these children. Through your support and commitment, you open many doors for children allowing them to look forward to brighter futures and productive adulthood.
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The first steps to becoming a foster/adoptive family include attending an informational meeting, completing a formal application, and participating in several interviews with a recruiter. The recruiter assists families in completing all of the necessary paperwork and answering a family’s questions about foster care.
Intensive Foster Care
Intensive Foster Care (Treatment Foster Care in Maryland) is a community-based program for children and youth whose needs cannot be met in their own families and therefore requires out-of-home placements. Children in this program may exhibit significant behavioral problems, and/or varying degrees of social or emotional dysfunctions.
CONCERN’s specially trained foster parents create a family-like environment, which improves the child’s opportunities for more normalized daily living experiences.
Intermediate Foster Care
Intermediate Foster Care provides out-of-home placement services for children and youth who generally do not require more intensive interventions such as behavioral health services.
Medical Foster Care
Medical Foster Care provides homes for children with acute physical, emotional or mental disabilities as an alternative to hospitalization or institutionalization.
CONCERN identifies particular foster parents who are capable of meeting the child’s special needs and who are trained in the specific medical condition(s) of the child. In the state of Maryland this program is referred to as Medically Fragile Foster Care.
Mother/Baby Foster Care
Mother/Baby Foster Care is designed to provide support to an adolescent or expectant mother in her efforts to develop a good parent/child relationship, while focusing on the competencies of parenting skills, child development, sexual safety, and independent living.
Mothers enrolled in this program must establish a routine to address her infant’s needs, provide stimulating development, and educational activities for her infant, coordinate and arrange medical care for the infant, establish a budget to practice household management and enroll in an educational program or be gainfully employed.
Foster/Adopt
and Adoption
Foster/Adopt and Adoption programs are designed to improve permanency outcomes for children in foster care. CONCERN is committed to helping children find a permanent family they can call their own.
Services the department provides include Child Profiles, Child Preparation Services, Child Specific Recruitment Services, Placement Services, Family Preparation and Profiles, and Finalization Services.
Community
Service Program
Trauma Focus
Foster Care
Trauma-Focused Foster Care is designed to provide a less restrictive placement setting for youth who are stepping down from a more restrictive congregate care setting such as a group home or residential facility. These youth are unable to live with their families due to behavioral issues as a result of complex trauma associated with a myriad of experiences such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, severe neglect, abandonment or another traumatic loss, witness to domestic violence or violent crime, parental substance abuse, and homelessness. Foster parents are specially trained in trauma-informed care and work closely with behavioral health staff who are certified in trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy.
Community Residential Rehabilitation
Therapeutic Foster Care provides youth
ages 5-21 with individualized community based services, in a structured foster home
environment. The program offers youth the
ability to address behavioral and mental
health needs in a supportive and safe
setting. The length of time in the program
is between 6-12 months depending upon
a number of factors, including the needs of
the youth, progress made and discharge
planning.
Our program functions in a strength-based
model in which the strengths of the youth will be crucial in identifying strategies to work toward success. Children and adolescents are found to be resilient to negative outcomes when factors such as a support system, positive school experiences, and strong problem-solving skills are present. Case management and therapy are provided in the foster home to address specific individualized needs of the youth. Foster parents in the program are provided with support, strategies, and training that help to foster an empathetic, structured, accepting, and strength-based setting to provide youth with a safe and loving environment to achieve success. The
therapist will work directly with the youth’s
treatment team to develop and implement
services based on the treatment plan. The
treatment plan will identify goals targeted to enhance the youth’s overall functioning.
Frequently Asked Questions
CAN I BE EMPLOYED OUTSIDE OF MY HOME?
Yes, provided there is a child care plan in place. It is not acceptable for both parents to have second or third-shift employment.
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IS THERE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR DAYCARE WHILE I WORK?
Yes, from community resources, but it is very limited and it is not always available.
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IS THERE A LIMIT TO THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN MY HOME?
Yes, in the state of Pennsylvania you may have six foster children if no other children reside in your home. The Department of Public Welfare allows a total of six children under the age of 18, including your own children, with additional requirements for your home.
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In the state of Maryland, you may have two foster children in your home. The State of Maryland allows a total of six children under the age of 18.
DO FOSTER PARENTS RECEIVE ANY FINANCIAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR CARING FOR CHILDREN?
Yes, foster parents receive a daily stipend for each child placed in their home. This daily stipend is based on the needs of the child. Families must show proof that they are able to meet financial obligations prior to being approved as foster parents.
ARE FOSTER PARENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR MEDICAL AND DENTAL EXPENSES FOR A FOSTER CHILD?
Foster parents are not responsible for medical or dental expenses. Each child has Medical Assistance, private insurance, or a combination that covers most expenses.
HOW LONG DOES THE APPROVAL PROCESS TAKE?
After we receive your application and background clearance information you are invited to start attending the training sessions. Typically you are ready to be approved as a foster parent upon the completion of your pre-service training. The amount of time required to complete this process varies from family to family.
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IS IT POSSIBLE TO ADOPT A FOSTER CHILD?
Adoption for some foster children can be an option for foster parents. Foster children are often classified as “special needs” adoptions.
CAN A FOSTER CHILD SHARE A BEDROOM WITH MY CHILD?
In Pennsylvania, yes, however, they must have a bed of their own, and children of the opposite sex can only share a room if they are under five years of age. A bedroom must also have room for storage for each child’s belongings.
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In the state of Maryland, they must have a bed of their own, and children of the opposite sex can only share a room if they are under two years of age. A bedroom must also have room for storage for each child’s belongings
ARE SINGLE INDIVIDUALS ALLOWED TO BECOME FOSTER PARENTS?
Yes. We will work with you to determine that you have sufficient supports in place and that the child care issues are addressed.
ARE FOSTER PARENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR TRANSPORTING CHILDREN?
We expect that our foster parents provide the majority of transportation for the foster children. We do have drivers that can assist if foster parents have a conflict in their schedule.
WHAT IF I HAVE A CRISIS WITH A FOSTER CHILD AT NIGHT OR ON A WEEKEND?
You never have to feel that you have to deal with a crisis alone. We offer support 24/7. After hours there is a staff person assigned to answer all emergency calls. During office hours there is always someone available to assist you with any crisis that might arise.