Do You Have Experience Caring for Youth with Elevated Needs? Treatment Foster Care May Be Perfect for You!

KVC Missouri’s Treatment Foster Care Program (TFC) is a form of specialized foster care that provides individualized therapeutic interventions to children with significant medical, developmental, emotional or behavioral needs who require a higher level of care. The program provides caregivers with additional support to allow youth in foster care with elevated needs to be successful in a community-based family setting.

Treatment foster homes provide highly structured, around-the-clock care within a family setting. Most children in TFC have successfully transitioned out of residential care but need additional time and support in a structured home setting before returning to a permanent home. Children in TFC are between the ages of 6-21 and have a wide array of developmental, behavioral and emotional challenges.

Being a Treatment Foster Care resource provider is a great fit for foster parents and other caregivers who have experience caring for youth with elevated needs. In our TFC program, you will: 

• Undergo free, specialized training to meet the needs of the youth in your care, both initially and ongoing 
• Play a large role as part of the youth’s treatment team 
• Receive a higher reimbursement rate than that of general foster care to meet the needs of the child 
• 12 days of paid vacation per year and 2 respite days per month.
• Have access to 24/7 support from your KVC TFC Specialist, in-home support services, behavioral consultations, skilled supervision and emotional support.
• Have the opportunity to provide a loving, stable home for children/youth that need it the most 

Want to learn more? Contact a foster parent recruiter

What’s the Main Goal of Placing a Child in a Treatment Foster Care Home?

The main goal of TFC is to provide children with elevated needs with least restrictive placements, in family settings, until they can be successful in a more traditional foster home setting. TFC foster placements are intended to be short-term, usually around nine months. However, there may be times that the placement could be shorter or last much longer, depending on treatment goal progress and availability of step-down placement options. 

TFC parents serve an important role as the primary change agent in the child’s life. You help the child develop positive relationships and social, emotional and behavioral skills. The child attends school in the family’s community, enabling you to work with the child’s teachers to oversee academic progress.

What are the Training Requirements?

TFC parents are required to complete the approved 30 hours of pre-service training curriculum to become a licensed traditional foster parent prior to receiving the training to become a TFC foster home.

An additional 27 hours of approved specialized training is required to become a TFC family. KVC’s TFC training program is designed to prepare families to meet the day-to-day needs of children with elevated needs.

How are Youths’ Financial and Medical Needs Met?

The daily reimbursement for children placed in TFC homes is higher than that of general foster care but dependent on the needs of the child. The daily rate is to cover daily living expenses as well as other needs of the youth.

Each youth in the custody of the State of Missouri receives a medical card when they are removed from their family home. Each youth also receives an annual clothing allowance, and the amount is based on their age.

What Kind of Additional Support Will KVC Provide My Family?

• Initial and ongoing training opportunities 
• Foster parent therapists and support groups 
• Mental health treatment for the children in your care from a KVC therapist or help connecting with community resources and support 
• Treatment Foster Care (TFC) Specialist specifically designated to support and assist your family in identifying treatment plan goals through a collaborative team approach, regularly evaluating treatment plan progress and making adjustments as needed, assisting with locating additional services to meet the unique needs of the youth and participating in family support/treatment team meetings. These workers have smaller-than-traditional caseloads so that they are able to dedicate more time and energy to supporting TFC families. 
• An enhanced daily rate to support the youth in your care 
• Respite care resources 

Have additional questions? Contact a foster parent recruiter

I’m Interested in Being Trained to Become a Treatment Foster Care Home. How Do I Get Started?

We’re happy to answer any questions you have about the TFC program or help you determine if it’s a good fit for a child in your care.

If you’re new to foster care, read more about becoming a traditional foster home. And then, when you’re ready to take the step to become a TFC family, we’ll be happy to guide you on your way … so you can begin guiding the journey of a youngster who needs you.

Learn more here or contact a recruiter at 1-844-424-3577.

Accreditations

The Joint Commission

Sponsors of this Program

Missouri Alliance for Children and Families
Missouri Department of Social Services – Children’s Division