Treatment Foster Care

Through our CHOSEN program, which stands for Children of Special and Exceptional Need, we provide family-based care for children in treatment foster care who, due to childhood trauma, require more than the basic care and support that regular foster care provides. By training certified foster parents to understand how trauma affects the brain, and equipping them with the tools and support they need, children who are the most likely to be placed in an institutional setting are able to grow and thrive in a family!

Every child in our CHOSEN program has a history of trauma that impacts their needs, development, and behavior. Unfortunately, studies have shown that youth in foster care have poor long term outcomes when compared with peers. They are more likely to drop out of school, become teen parents, and experience homelessness. So what can be done to help our most vulnerable children? Our treatment model, extensive training and support, advocacy for permanency, and Independent Living Classes are breaking the generational cycles of trauma, poverty, and isolation.

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The treatment model we use is Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®), an attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children. TBRI® uses Empowering Principles to address physical needs, Connecting Principles for attachment needs, and Correcting Principles to disarm fear-based behaviors. While the intervention is based on years of attachment, sensory processing, and neuroscience research, the heartbeat of TBRI® is connection.

“I have been working with traumatized children for 16 years and specialized in attachment for the past 12 years as well. In my experience, TBRI® has the approach that is the most helpful (and efficient) way to get kids who have been knocked off track developmentally due to life circumstances, back on track. It is the only intervention I have come across that really looks at the functioning of the whole child and tailors and approach to the unique needs of that child. It works!” — Kate Oliver, LCSW-C, Training Coordinator, Building Families for Children

In addition to extensive training, foster parents are supported through regular contact with our Treatment Social Workers, a 24-hour hotline, respite care, and a tax-free monthly stipend.  

Permanency is always the goal for youth in our care. Whenever possible, we advocate for youth to be reunited with their biological family. When that isn’t an option, we strive for permanency through adoption. Sometimes, neither happen, but while in our care we are equipping youth for a successful transition into independent adulthood.  Our therapeutic services and trauma informed care lay the foundation, helping youth heal and learn to build healthy, lasting relationships. Our Independent Living Classes teach them important skills like budgeting, preparing a resume, and succeeding in college. Most importantly, we’re teaching youth to confidently take responsibility and plan for their future so they can build strong, stable families of their own someday! 

Treatment Foster Care

Through our CHOSEN program, which stands for Children of Special and Exceptional Need, we provide family-based care for children in treatment foster care who, due to childhood trauma, require more than the basic care and support that regular foster care provides. By training certified foster parents to understand how trauma affects the brain, and equipping them with the tools and support they need, children who are the most likely to be placed in an institutional setting are able to grow and thrive in a family!

READ MORE...

Every child in our CHOSEN program has a history of trauma that impacts their needs, development, and behavior. Unfortunately, studies have shown that youth in foster care have poor long term outcomes when compared with peers. They are more likely to drop out of school, become teen parents, and experience homelessness. So what can be done to help our most vulnerable children? Our treatment model, extensive training and support, advocacy for permanency, and Independent Living Classes are breaking the generational cycles of trauma, poverty, and isolation.

The treatment model we use is Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®), an attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children. TBRI® uses Empowering Principles to address physical needs, Connecting Principles for attachment needs, and Correcting Principles to disarm fear-based behaviors. While the intervention is based on years of attachment, sensory processing, and neuroscience research, the heartbeat of TBRI® is connection.

“I have been working with traumatized children for 16 years and specialized in attachment for the past 12 years as well. In my experience, TBRI® has the approach that is the most helpful (and efficient) way to get kids who have been knocked off track developmentally due to life circumstances, back on track. It is the only intervention I have come across that really looks at the functioning of the whole child and tailors and approach to the unique needs of that child. It works!” — Kate Oliver, LCSW-C, Training Coordinator, Building Families for Children

In addition to extensive training, foster parents are supported through regular contact with our Treatment Social Workers, a 24-hour hotline, respite care, and a tax-free monthly stipend.  

Permanency is always the goal for youth in our care. Whenever possible, we advocate for youth to be reunited with their biological family. When that isn’t an option, we strive for permanency through adoption. Sometimes, neither happen, but while in our care we are equipping youth for a successful transition into independent adulthood.  Our therapeutic services and trauma informed care lay the foundation, helping youth heal and learn to build healthy, lasting relationships. Our Independent Living Classes teach them important skills like budgeting, preparing a resume, and succeeding in college. Most importantly, we’re teaching youth to confidently take responsibility and plan for their future so they can build strong, stable families of their own someday!

have you ever thought about becoming a foster parent?

Contact Willie Doctor, our Recruitment and Training Manager, to schedule an in-home information session. You’ll learn about our program and Willie will walk you through the process of becoming a foster parent. It’s also a great opportunity to ask any questions you have. We are always looking for compassionate adults to become foster parents, so we are excited to meet you!

UPDATE: Information sessions will be held using video chat applications until social distancing is no longer necessary to protect everyone’s health.

Schedule an information session

trust-based relational intervention®

TBRI® is an attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention that is designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children. TBRI® uses Empowering Principles to address physical needs, Connecting Principles for attachment needs, and Correcting Principles to disarm fear-based behaviors. While the intervention is based on years of attachment, sensory processing, and neuroscience research, the heartbeat of TBRI® is connection.
Q: What if I just want to be a respite (PART-TIME) parent or if I'm not sure I want to follow through with becoming an approved parent…can I still attend the class?
A: Yes, we are always in need of respite parents. We encourage people to attend our training because we know the skills we teach work, whether you decide to become a treatment parent or not. We like to emphasize that your commitment to us as well as our commitment to you is only tentative during the training and the home study process because it needs to be a thoroughly investigated decision on both our parts.
Q: What if I work outside the home?
A: That is okay. CHOSEN parents are required to be economically stable outside of the financial compensation paid to them by our agency. You would be asked to locate safe and stable alternate care, supervision after school and at other times work would not allow you to provide it.
Q: Does the CHOSEN child need to have their own room?
A: No, but you need to have adequate space for the CHOSEN child. One child can stay in a room that is 80 square feet and two children can share a room that is 120 square feet or larger.
Q: Do I need to have a car?
A: Yes. CHOSEN parents are required to have transportation.
Q: Do I have to be employed?
A: No. CHOSEN parents are required to be economically stable outside of the financial compensation paid to them by our agency. So, you do not have to have a job but you must have a permanent and sufficient source of income (i.e. retirement benefits, disability income, etc.). Unemployment is not a permanent source of income.
Q: How many foster children can I care for?
A: There are many demands placed on your time and energy. For that reason, we prefer to only place one child (in special circumstances two youth) per home. There are exceptions especially for sibling sets.
Q: What are the ages of children served?
A: The children range in age from birth to 21 years old. However, the average age child currently being referred is between 12 and 18.
Q: What is Treatment Foster Care (TFC)?
A: Treatment Foster Care (TFC) is one of the State of Maryland’s many approaches to addressing the problems of child abuse and neglect. TFC is a level of care reserved for children who have been removed from their biological families by one of Maryland’s Departments of Social Service. It is distinct from what one might call “regular” foster care in that the children assigned to TFC demonstrate significant emotional, psychological, behavioral, and/or health challenges. Success in TFC depends on a partnership among the biological family, the referring agency, the professional social workers in the TFC program, the treatment foster parents, and the foster child.
Q: What kinds of kids do you serve in CHOSEN?
A: CHOSEN kids are referred by a local Department of Social Services (DSS) within the State of Maryland, with most referrals coming from Baltimore and Prince George’s counties in FY13.
Q: Do we get to choose the age, race or gender of the child placed with us?
A: Yes. We will discuss your preferences during the interview and home study. Treatment parents can always say “no” to a placement about which they feel uncomfortable. Please know that we take your family dynamics very seriously and would only place a child in your home that we feel is a good match. There may be times we ask you to consider a child outside of your preferred age/race/gender and ask that you be open in those cases to consider why we might have thought of you as a good match for this child.
Q: What kinds of behavioral or emotional problems do the children have- are they all abused or neglected?
A: Our children have been abused, neglected or have suffered some traumatic experience in their lives. The type of behavioral or emotional problems differ for each child. They can include running away, substance use, aggression, developmental delays, educational deficits, sexually inappropriate behavior, depression, etc.
Q: What kind of support do foster parents receive?
A: CHOSEN parents receive extensive initial and ongoing training, supervision and support in the form of weekly home visits, 24 hour crisis intervention, and respite care. CHOSEN parents also receive financial compensation.
Q: Do all couples have to be married to become foster parents?
A: Yes, Building Families certifies couples who are legally married for at least 1 year.
Q: Can single people become CHOSEN foster parent?
A: Yes. We do ask all potential single parents to select a Secondary Treatment Parent (STP). This is a person who will help them when support is needed. A neighbor, friend or relative can be your STP. The STP must meet the same criteria that a primary parent meets.

INQUIRY FORM

If you’re interested in becoming a foster parent, please fill out the inquiry form below. We’ll give you a call shortly after we receive it to answer any questions you have and talk about the next steps! Please note, we can only certify foster parents living in Maryland. 

Questions?

Right now there are youth in foster care waiting for space in a home like yours to open up. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the process of becoming certified, lets talk!