Therapeutic foster families provide a higher level of care for children who have moderate to severe behavioral and emotional involvement due to the trauma of abuse and neglect. The therapeutic foster care program at Arizona’s Children Association is a program that follows the Girls and Boys Town Model of working with children. Girls and Boys Town is a model that focuses on utilizing the skills of children and parents in regards to behavior management. It is a highly structured program which features behavior management techniques such as Effective Praise, Teaching Self Control, Preventative Teaching, Corrective Teaching and Staying Calm. Families are observed and evaluated on their work. This program consists of a therapeutic team that supports the family, which includes weekly visits and emergency assistance that is available 24 hours a day.
Requirements
Basic licensing requirements to become a therapeutic foster parent include:
- A 30-hour pre-service training course
- A Physical and TB Test
- Fingerprinting
- A home safety inspection
- A home study
In addition, therapeutic foster parents are provided 30 hours of the Girls and Boys Town Model entitled “Common Sense Parenting,” First Aid and CPR, Medication Administration and Therapeutic Crisis Intervention. Interested parents need to have experience working with high needs children. Due to the many needs of these children, families are compensated to have at least one stay-at-home parent.
Twenty four hours of training are required annually to renew a therapeutic foster care license.
For information about the therapeutic foster care program in your area contact:
Southern (Pima County)
Dawn Glavin
3618 E. Pima
St
.
Tucson
,
AZ
85716
520 318-4882 ext.1555
NCOFosterCare@ArizonasChildren.org
Central Region (Maricopa, Pinal and Gila Counties)
Mary Duncan, LMSW
4201 N. 16th St., Suite 110
Phoenix, AZ 85016
602-253-1620 ext.2667
mlduncan@arizonaschildren.org
Northern Region (Yavapai, Coconino, Navajo and Apache Counties)
Teri Sebastian
440 N. Washington Ave.
Prescott, AZ 86301
928-443-1991 ext.2429
tsebastian@arizonaschildren.org
Western Region (Yuma, La Paz and Mohave Counties)
Nancy Felix
3780 S. 4th Ave. Extension
Yuma, AZ 85365
928-344-8800 ext.137
nfelix@arizonaschildren.org
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