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
- Fingerprinting
- A home health inspection
- A homestudy
In addition, therapeutic foster parents are provided 30 hours of the Girls and Boys Town Model entitled “Rebuilding Children’s Lives,” First Aid and CPR, Medication Administration and Pharmacology and Symptomatology. Interested parents need to have experience working with children or as a foster parent. Due to the many needs of these children, families are compensated to have at least one stay-at-home parent.
Twenty five 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)
Joanna Marroquin, Family Resource Developer
3210 E. Ft. Lowell Rd., #103
Tucson, AZ 85716
520-318-4882
jmarroquin@arizonaschildren.org
Central Region (Maricopa County)
Richard Harris, Program Supervisor
2001 N. 3rd. St., Suite 103
Phoenix, AZ 85004
602-258-6641
rharris@arizonaschildren.org
Northern Region (Yavapai, Coconino, Navajo and Apache Counties)
Rhonda Barnes, Site Director
906 W. University Ave.
Building B, Suite 130
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
928-527-1000
rbarnes@arizonaschildren.org
Western Region (Yuma, La Paz and Movave Counties)
Candy Espino
3780 S. 4th Ave., Extension Suite 1
Yuma, AZ 85365
928-344-8800
cespino@arizonaschildren.org
Mid Central Region (Gila and Pinal Counties)
Elizabeth Lemoine
2066 W. Apache Trail, Suite 111
Apache Junction, AZ 85220
480-503-8530
elemoine@arizonaschildren.org
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