TREATMENT FOSTER CARE

The CHOSEN program provides family-based Treatment Foster Care (TFC) for children and youth who, due to childhood trauma, require more than the basic care, support, love and nurturing that regular foster care provides. Our approach is based on the principles of Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI)®, which is an attachment-based, trauma informed intervention designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children. CHOSEN staff educate and provide weekly in-home support to therapeutic foster parents so they can provide care that helps the youth heal from trauma. Our staff provide crisis intervention when the children display difficult to manage or potentially harmful behaviors. They also support young adults aging out of foster care through Independent Living classes. The desired outcome is that the children learn to be resilient, remain stable in their foster family and eventually meet their permanency goal (e.g., reunification, adoption, independent living).

Have you ever thought about becoming a foster parent?

We are always looking for compassionate, responsible adults to become certified parents! If you have questions or would like to learn more, get in touch! Our monthly hour-long information sessions are a great place to start!

Contact Our Team

Building Families for Children is a TBRI® Educator.

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. Learn More

Why do we use TBRI®? 

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 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

What is TBRI®? 

Learn more at www.child.tcu.edu/about-us/tbri/

Frequently Asked Questions

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.
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: 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: 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.

Foster Parent Inquiry

Is the Lord calling you to work with kids in foster care? If you are interested in determining your eligibility, please fill out this form and we will be in contact with you. You must live in Maryland to be certified with our agency.
  • PLEASE NOTE: We are located in Maryland and you must live in Maryland to become a certified parent with our agency.
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