Contact: Jean Christofferson
Catholic Charities Community Services
Cell: 602-650-4847
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOSTER CARE FAMILIES NEEDED TO FILL UNMET NEEDS
Therapeutic Foster Care for Children, Teens With Medical, Behavioral Challenges are Particularly Needed
PHOENIX, Ariz. (Jan. 23, 2019): Catholic Charities Community Services is looking for foster care families, particularly for children and teenagers with medical and behavioral challenges, in central and northern Arizona to fill a growing and unmet need.
Families are needed to provide foster-care support for sibling groups of two or more, children 10 years and older, teenagers with behavioral or medical needs and children with minor medical needs.
“These are children and teenagers who have experienced trauma and loss. They need a family who can provide them with support, care and love to help them heal,” said John Lang, Senior Program Manager of Northern Arizona Foster Care for Catholic Charities. “We have an especially critical need for what we refer to as Therapeutic Foster Parents for children and teenagers challenged by medical and behavioral issues.”
Children placed in traditional foster homes are often removed from their families due to neglect and abuse. Parents of reunified children are closely monitored by the Department of Child Safety.
Therapeutic Foster Care refers to clinical intervention and placement of youth in specially trained foster homes. Those children are generally between 5 and 17 years of age and stay for periods of 3-to-16 months depending upon the level of need.
Children placed in therapeutic foster homes receive the same benefits as traditional foster care as well as structured treatment specifically tailored for the individual child. Each child is assessed and matched with Therapeutic Foster Parents based on training, experience and professional competence.
Catholic Charities recruits, trains and supports foster parents and provides additional benefits to Therapeutic Foster Parents including monthly trainings, in-home counselors to provide additional family support and expense reimbursement.
Requirements for foster parenting include demonstrating a safe and clean living space, Level 1 Fingerprint Clearance Card, being CPR or First Aid certified, having reliable transportation, and passing DCS and criminal background checks. Therapeutic Foster Parents also must complete 30 hours of pre-service training and 18 hours of additional training.
For more information, please contact Catholic Charities at 602-285-1999 or visit www.CatholicCharities.org.
Founded in 1933, Catholic Charities Community Services provides care for the vulnerable of all faiths in Central and Northern Arizona through programs in foster care, early education, affordable housing, veterans’ services, refugee resettlement, and homeless outreach. Learn more by visiting www.catholiccharitiesaz.org. Social connections include www.facebook.com/CatholicCharitiesAZ and twitter.com/CCArizona.
