The necessary continuation of Independent Foster Care Homes
As the state agenda concerning the care and treatment for children is being redirected towards the usage of community based servicing, the need for more independent foster care homes appears to be of paramount importance. As an organization founded and located within the community, we can directly anticipate and respond rapidly to the servicing requirements of our children while focusing treatment goals to care for them. With this community focused approach it may no longer be necessary to send a child to an expensive corporate treatment facility out of the local area which in turn, is one of the main barriers to family reunification and success . Another factor to consider is the financial accessibility for families who wish to prevent their children from entering into the social services system. Often times, private care families in crisis cannot afford any treatment other than what insurance providers may accept or what Medicaid can cover. The cost effectiveness of an independent foster home organization directly correlates to daycare services.
Modification of 22VAC 40-141-10 definitions section: At present, foster care services in local jurisdictions are perplexed as to placement protocols of an independent foster home organization. As it stands, the currently worded definition of the organization does not specifically outline that children from the local departments of social services (foster care and adoption services) are allowed to place children within the organization. As such, we are limited at whole or in part to providing respite care services because of this gap in definition and understanding. Furthermore, the definition of “placement agreement” doesn’t allow for the agreement to be entered into by the local department of social service agents in the sections of adoption services or foster care.
Additionally, foster care services in local jurisdictions have a questionable time deciding upon funding sources allowed for our organization. Local Family Assessment Planning Teams (FAPT) would like to utilize independent foster homes as a community based placement, but the definition as it now stands doesn’t address our status as a community based resource.
Reference to 22 VAC 40-141-87 part G: A gray area concerning the current regulation definition and interpretation deals with the time accumulation of treatment for a child. At present, when a child is serviced by an independent foster home, that time is continuously accumulated even if the child is discharged and has a subsequent replacement service at a later time. Service discharge should carry with it a termination of services. For example, if a child or family in crisis is serviced for a period of six months and meets all discharge and treatment requirements, the regulation at present prevents possible respite care services in the future for the family without referring the child over to social services for evaluation. Within that example, respite care services for one weekend out of a month for a period of 3 months could mean the difference in preventing another crisis for that family. There are private families who desire to take and manage the responsibility of their child and or family in crisis at no expense to the county. This is significant because private families who are in brief crisis periods may desire to prevent their child from entering into the social services system.
