Program Overview | Southern Arizona | Yavapai County, Arizona | New Mexico
Out-of-Home Placements for Youth
FOSTER CARE - Every Child Deserves a Family!
Intermountain Centers is one of six agencies in Southern Arizona that are responsible for identifying families in the community who are willing and able to open their homes to at-risk children. Children under the age of 18 are referred through the State of Arizona’s Department of Economic Security/Child Protective Services (DES/CPS) to foster care providers who have joined the Intermountain Foster Care Team.
Intermountain is currently recruiting foster care families that desire to develop a fulfilling relationship with and contribute to the successful raising of a child in our community. All foster families are provided with specialized training in order to address the emotional and behavioral needs of children and youth in out of home placement. Support and supervision is provided to families on a 24 hour a day/7 day a week basis. Foster families are provided with respite care, as needed. If you are interested, call Foster Care Recruiter Jack Smith at (520) 721-1887, extension 283.
Intermountain’s diverse population of foster families provides the ability to serve the diverse group of children and youth in the foster care system.
Intermountain’s Foster Care Services
Intermountain Centers provides a full continuum of foster care services. We serve children between the ages of birth and 21, although most youth are between the ages of 8 and 17. Youth may receive foster care beyond their 18th birthday but only under certain circumstances. Children and youth served by Intermountain have permanency case plan goals such as family reunification, adoption, long-term foster care or independent living.
The foster care services we offer are:
- Emergency Placement
- Respite Placement
- Traditional Foster Care
- Therapeutic Foster Care
Some children cannot live with their biological families because the court system and child protective service workers have determined that it is in the best interest of the child to live an alternative environment. Some of these children are placed in residential facilities such as the group homes that Intermountain maintains. While these children may succeed in the highly structured setting of a group home, it is not a permanent solution, particularly for younger children. These children need the structure and therapeutic support of the Intermountain residential program, but also the nurturing and permanency of a family home. Up to five children may reside in each foster home, while only two children may reside in each therapeutic foster care home.
Therapeutic Foster Care
Therapeutic Foster Care is specialized foster care designed to find homes for children and youth with special needs – a history of behavioral, emotional and medical problems who have no other place to live. These children have had problems with such things as academic problems, truancy, vandalism, and sexual offenses.
Foster Parent Requirements
Intermountain considers therapeutic foster and foster parents to be the vital agents for positive change in the life of a child or youth. Foster parents are occupationally and economically stable people who, after a period of specialized training, accept a youth into their family unit with the intention of providing that child with a healthy and supportive family. Every foster parent must:
- Be at least 21 years of age,
- Be legal residents of the State of Arizona,
- Possess a valid driver’s license and an automobile in good working condition,
- Provide proof of current homeowner’s/renter’s and automobile insurance,
- Be able to demonstrate the financial means to support the needs of the entire household without benefit of possible foster care compensation,
- Pass both criminal Records and Child Abuse/Neglect Records checks,
- Reside in a home capable of passing State Health and Fire Inspections,
- Have adequate space in their home for the foster child to have his/her own bedroom,
- Have a working telephone in their home,
- Be respectful of differences in race, ethnicity, religion, and educational backgrounds,
- Be willing to refrain from the use of physical discipline, and
- Be willing to work under close supervision by Intermountain staff and cooperate with staff and administration.
All members of the potential foster family must be interviewed and agree with the decision to provide services to foster children. All adult members of the potential foster family must complete the required training.
Intermountain will do everything possible to ensure that every foster parent and foster care placement is successful! Every child deserves a family!
Therapeutic Foster Parents
Intermountain recruits parents to work with specific youths from the Intermountain residential program, trains them in the specific needs of each child, licenses them according to State standards, and provides long-term therapeutic counseling, intervention and support as long as the child is placed in their home. Therapeutic foster parents are couples and singles who have the commitment and skills to live with and help children with special needs. The Therapeutic Foster program’s emphasis includes:
- Careful Parent Selection
- Pre-Placement Training
- On-Demand 24 Hour a Day Consultation Services
- Significant Compensation for Services
- Crisis Intervention
- Case Management of Needs
Some of the details of these and other components of the Therapeutic Foster Parenting Program concept include:
Careful Parent Selection
Applicants for Therapeutic Foster Parents are screened using a selection process which focuses on the applicant’s general social skill level, potential for benefiting from the training and support services, state licensing procedures, and their motivation to be involved with special needs children on a long-term basis. In addition, the suitability of applicants’ homes and their social and economic stability within their communities are taken into account.
Pre-Placement Training
In addition to State training, all Therapeutic Foster Parents participate in a 32 hour pre-placement training workshop designed to provide information and practice toward understanding and managing the special problems of the youths they will serve. Training will be intensive in order to help assist parents’ ability to deal with special needs children and their trainability. There is also a 24 hour crisis intervention training.
On-Demand Consultation
24-hour professional consultation is available to all Therapeutic Care Parents on demand. This “as-needed” consultation is offered to assist and support parents in their management of problems that may occur and to help anticipate and prevent potential problems. This support is in addition to the daily consultation regarding the child’s daily needs, routines, etc.
Meaningful Compensation
Therapeutic Foster Parents will receive a stipend for the care of youth. This stipend is designed to allow the parents to provide quality care and to compensate them for the time and effort spent in training and their educational activities. Respite Care will be provided on an “as-needed” basis.
In-Service and Ongoing Training
Monthly in-service training sessions address topics pertaining to the care and teaching of youths served in Therapeutic Foster Care. In-service sessions are also intended to provide opportunities for families to meet and share common experiences.
Specific Service Options
Behavior Management Training
Contingency Management
Negotiation Skills
Power Struggles
Tracing Behaviors
Consistency
Sexual Abuse Skills – Victim/Offender
Daily Routine
Self-Care Skills
Strength-based Positive Reinforcement
Psychosocial Rehabilitation
School Issues
Tutoring Needs
Interpersonal Skills
Goals Setting
Recreation/Leisure Activities
Counseling
Individual/Family Counseling
Self-Concept
Grief and Loss
Sexual Abuse
Anger Management
Depression
Impulse Management
Stress Management
Involvement with Biological Families
Advocacy
Concrete Services
School
Vocational
Court
Behavioral Health
Every Child Deserves a Family!
Contact and Referral Information
Jack Smith, Recruiter
Intermountain Centers for Human Development
P. O. Box 17749
Tucson, AZ 85710-7749
Tel: (520) 721-1887
Fax: (520) 721-0069
Email: jacks@ichd.net
Success Story
Chapter 1:
Nate’s biological parents have 9 children, all of whom are in foster care. He lives with an Intermountain therapeutic foster care family and three foster siblings on a small farm on the outskirts of Tucson. Intensely interested in reading and doing a good job in the fourth grade, Nate is now interested in his foster family’s chickens. After collecting the eggs that have been laid each morning, he helps prepare them for sale to friends and neighbors. Leisure skills he is developing are rock collecting, gardening, and, of course, video games on his computer. Nate is pleased that he is almost at grade level in his academic achievement and that his youngest brother is now living in the same foster care home. Nate is truly on the road to success as his self esteem is built on positive activities and interactions!
Chapter 2:
Geara and David have been foster parent for over four years, as a couple. Geara was a foster parent for four years prior to meeting and marrying David. They live in rural Pima County and have their own grown children who live in the Tucson community. They have served as therapeutic foster care parents for several children who have turned 18 years old and moved out on their own. Two years ago they adopted two of their foster children who are brothers (Nate and Matt), providing permanency for these young boys’ lifetime. They are currently in the process of adopting a Native American child who has been in their foster care during the past year. They will continue to provide therapeutic foster care services for two additional children through Intermountain, following the adoption. What a wonderful family they have created for many emotionally disabled youngsters!