In Missouri, more than 11,000 youth are in foster care hoping for a caring environment to temporarily call home while their biological family works toward reunification. Of these children and teens, some require a higher degree of specialized care to meet significant needs. 

These needs generally include a complex diagnosis, like a chronic medical condition, a complex mental health challenge or severe trauma. And that’s where treatment foster care in Missouri comes in! Treatment foster care (TFC) provides short-term services designed to create a more therapeutic environment for youth. TCF combines the supportive aspects of foster care with clinical treatments typically found in residential mental health treatment settings.

Why Do Children Enter Foster Care?

All families face challenges from time to time. In some situations, a wide variety of factors can cause biological parents to be unable to care for their child or teen. Foster care in Missouri is designed to be a temporary arrangement during a time of crisis, with safe reunification as the ultimate goal. During this time, child welfare professionals work to find the best possible relative, foster parent or other placement option for that child until they can safely return home or reach another form of permanency.

While every situation is different, here are some of the more traumatic reasons a child may be placed in a foster home:

• Child Abuse and/or Neglect: Many children and teens in foster care have experienced some form of child abuse or neglect as defined by the state in which the youth lives. In general, neglect can be physical, medical or related to a lack of necessary supervision.
• Incarceration: If a parent is incarcerated and there is no available relative to care for the child, that child may be placed in foster care for at least the duration of the incarceration.
• Abandonment: If a child was dropped off at another residence or left alone at home for an extended period of time, they may be placed in foster care for abandonment.

What is Treatment Foster Care?

Treatment foster care (TFC), sometimes referred to as therapeutic foster care, is a form of specialized foster care for youth with elevated mental, behavioral or medical needs. In the past, when adolescents have required this higher level of care, they would be admitted to a residential facility. Treatment foster care provides an alternative to this that keeps the youth in a home environment and helps them stay integrated into the community.

Children and teens who qualify for treatment-level foster care often come from challenging circumstances where stability and trust have been hard to find. Many have experienced multiple moves and disruptions, leaving them feeling as though relationships are temporary and care is conditional. These experiences can make it hard for them to believe in the possibility of genuine, lasting connections.

Treatment Foster Care vs. Traditional Foster Care

TFC serves youth with significant medical, developmental, emotional and/or behavioral diagnoses and needs that require a higher level of care, clinical support and coordination. Unlike traditional foster care, TFC foster parents (or “TFC providers”) are trained to meet these more complex needs, including medical, mental health and behavioral. Some common challenges might include:

• Physical disabilities or complex physical diagnoses
• Developmental disabilities
• Health concerns which need management from a number of specialists
• Co-occurring mental health challenges, like ADHD and depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Oppositional behavior
• Problems with peer relations

TFC providers also have more support and resources available to them so that they can better meet the higher needs of their placements. The ultimate goal is similar in nature to traditional foster care. They help youth stabilize, whether through reunification or moving on to eventual independent living.

Youth in treatment foster care often are either at risk of being placed in a residential facility or have recently come out of one. TCF provides extra support while reintegrating into the community before returning to their biological home or other form of permanency. They may also be coming from a disrupted placement where a foster parent decided not to continue with the placement.

TFC placements are typically shorter term than a traditional foster placement, lasting on around 90 to 120 days. They also must be deemed medically necessary and authorized by insurance. The level of TFC required and the expected length of the placement is determined by insurance. 

Types and Levels of Treatment Foster Care

Just as no two children or teens are the same, no two treatment foster care situations are the same! There are two levels of placements for treatment foster care. Both receive relatively the same support and resources, but Level Two placements have more frequent home visits. These levels can also help a TFC provider determine whether the placement is right for them.

While in most cases a TFC placement is transitional—helping the youth adjust during a transition out of a residential setting or out of foster care—there are other situations in which a TFC provider can be certified in order to care for a specific child, like a relative or even their own biological child. These situations can help the child get the help they need with minimal or no disruption.

Common Needs of Children & Teens in Treatment Foster Care

TFC providers play a more hands-on role in caring for a youth than general foster care providers. Every child or teen in treatment foster care is unique, but the needs of these youth generally include:

• Unconditional social and emotional support
• Stability and security
• An available caregiver with a flexible schedule
• Help managing appointments
• Academic support

A TFC provider’s role involves working intimately with the youth’s care team—case workers, therapists and more—to advocate for the youth and make sure all of these needs are met along with any other needs that come up.

Resources and Support Provided by KVC 

Providing treatment foster care isn’t easy, but TFC providers never have to do it alone. KVC partners with providers every step of the way! We provide free training both before someone begins providing care and ongoing sessions throughout the year to continue educating providers on relevant topics. 

Just as you are the youth’s biggest ally, KVC is your biggest ally. Support includes:

• 24/7 On-Call Support: One of the greatest resources KVC provides is 24/7 on-call crisis support to support youth with challenging behaviors and help caregivers and foster parents navigate how to respond to those behaviors. 
• Initial Meetings: An initial meeting between the youth’s caregiver(s), case manager and other members of their support team provides a collaborative space where everyone can align on what information, support and resources are needed for the youth to be successful.
• Foster Parent Networking: As the saying goes, it truly takes a village! At KVC, we love to help our foster parents build theirs. 
• Other Benefits: Providing treatment foster care services requires a lot of dedication, and our team is here to make sure every provider has the resources they need to care for children and teens, including everyday essentials, back-to-school supplies and holiday gifts. TFC providers also receive more support compared to traditional foster parents. They have access to more respite care and time off to help them recharge. The amount of time off and respite care provided can vary by state, with some states requiring a certain amount of respite care each month. These benefits help TFC providers maintain their energy and continue providing high-quality care.

The Need for Treatment Foster Care Providers is Greater Than Ever

There is an urgent need for foster parents in Missouri, and the need for treatment-level providers is even greater! If you are interested in learning more about how to become a treatment-level foster parent or a TFC respite care provider, contact a foster parent recruiter or call us at 844-424-3577 to find out how you can make a difference in a child’s life.