Therapeutic Foster Care | Health Connect America

Therapeutic Foster Care is a medically necessary treatment, which is authorized by public state agencies (child welfare and Medicaid) for treatment services to be available for children. Children with adverse childhood experiences, as well as emotional, behavioral, medical, or developmental needs, receive structured treatment within a therapeutic foster care setting. This program promotes well-being, family connections, and community integration.

Component features of therapeutic foster care include compassionate and professional staff who support the foster families and youth by providing a range of services including:

• Supervision
• 24-hour emergency services
• In-home and outpatient psychiatric services
• Coordination of medical treatment when necessary
• Foster parent training in behavior management and various treatment approaches

The primary goal of Therapeutic Foster Care is to reach an appropriate point of stabilization. The ultimate goal is for the child to transition back to their home, whenever possible.

Currently, we offer Therapeutic Foster Care in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia.

For additional information on Therapeutic Foster Care, you can also go here.

Requirements for becoming a Foster Parent

Health Connect America TFC believes in the importance of a thorough approach when approving homes and in placement of foster children in these homes. The approval process to become a foster parent requires individuals to evaluate themselves throughout training, to demonstrate a willingness to support reunification, and a desire to help children who have suffered trauma, even when this may be challenging. Patience, empathy, and a willingness to learn are important to have when considering foster care. The training and approval process help perspective families learn to work with not only children in foster care, but birth families and the state agencies as well. To get started, consider the list below.

Basic requirements to become a foster parent include the following:

1. Can be either married or single person
2. Perspective foster families should be at least 25 years of age and must be both physically and emotionally healthy enough to care for a child
3. The perspective foster family must have sufficient income to support own household
4. Must be able to pass all background checks
5. Can own or rent home
6. Must have room in home for a child
7. Can have other children or have none

HCA is here to support our children and families and can be reached for further questions. No question to too small and we are here to support the discussion to foster as well as the act of fostering.

The Foster Parent Approval Process

Health Connect America’s Therapeutic Foster Care program offers ongoing support to foster parents and their foster children. At the start of the approval process you will be trained and guided through the process by your local Health Connect America foster parent trainer. The licensing process is entirely free and your foster parent Trainer will ensure you have have met all of your state’s licensing requirements which  include: completing our free education and training program, background checks, home visits to assess home safety and capacity, and any necessary paperwork/documents. Additionally, your foster parent trainer will complete your Home Study during this process. A Home Study is an important component of the approval process and assists the foster parent trainer with matching the foster families to foster children. A completed Home Study is a requirement in all states for families that are applying to foster or foster to adopt. After you are an officially approved foster parent, your HCA Trainer will work with you to ensure your home is meeting your state’s licensing requirements on an ongoing basis.

How HCA supports Foster Parents

Once a child is placed in your home, you will be assigned an HCA case manager. Your case manager is available to assist you and your foster children 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Each child has a unique set of needs and your case manager will help support you and your child to ensure all their needs are met. This includes working hand in hand with your child’s social services county of origin to initiate outpatient therapy, in-home therapy, medication management and other services that are deemed to be in the best interest of the child. Social Services will have developed a unique foster care plan for your child. The plan contains many goals for your child, including a plan for permanency. The permanency plan for your child may be reunification with their biological family or adoption. Your assigned case manager will work with social services, your family, and the foster child to ensure the steps outlined in this plan are being met as best as possible.

As well as having a circle of support while providing care to your foster child, HCA provides a monthly stipend to assist with room, board, and daily essentials. HCA abides by the state stipend guidelines. The stipend rate differs from state to state but is primarily based on the child’s level of need.  In addition, in many states, day care costs are covered for working parents.

Whether your family is interested in providing respite care, full-time foster care, or fostering with the goal to adopt, we are here to support you along the way. Our goal is to ensure every child is given the opportunity to live in a safe, stable, and loving environment and each and every one of our staff are dedicated to supporting you and your foster child throughout your fostering journey.

Ready to become a foster parent?

If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, please contact us at one of the below numbers depending on your location:
877-426-5298 Alabama
800-837-0072 Georgia
855-886-2592 Mississippi
833-525-8196 Tennessee
877-579-5895 Virginia

If you prefer to email us instead about being a foster parent, click on the button below.

Other Links

About Us
Foster Care Locations at HCA
Therapeutic Day Treatment