CHILD WELFARE MANUAL

Section 6, Resource Development, Chapter 18 (Resource Providers Approved to Provide Elevated Needs Foster Care Services) Subsection 2 Elevated Needs Level A, – Sub-subsection 4 (Qualifications, Characteristics, and Responsibilities of the Elevated Needs Level A Resource Provider)

18.2.4 Qualifications, Characteristics, and Responsibilities of the Elevated Needs Level A Resource Provider

It is recognized that the Level A resource provider is the key treatment agent in the Level A foster care process. In order to successfully fulfill this role, the following responsibilities must be carried out:

  • Provide a firm, consistent, nurturing and normalizing environment in which the youth receives 24-hour supervision;
  • Be available during all non-school hours except when other arrangements have been made;
  • Provide day-to-day implementation and monitoring of the youth’s treatment plan and services as agreed upon with other treatment staff;
  • Participate in all staffing meetings, FSTs, and when possible, court hearings;
  • Develop and implement a structure of discipline and intervention which encourages self-responsibility and mutual concern for all members of the household in conjunction with the Level A foster care selection team decision;
  • Set and communicate specific behavioral limits for the placed youth and impose predetermined consequences when those limits are exceeded;
  • Prepare each youth with age appropriate “living” skills needed to function, i.e., personal hygiene, coping skills, money management, parenting skills, home management, job search, interpersonal, and social skills;
  • Participate in the screening process of the youth and natural family, if appropriate. Be available for consultation with other treatment team members;
  • Complete periodic reports on the progress of the youth in meeting both long and short-term treatment goals. Be available for consultation with other treatment team members;
  • Potentially provide transportation for the youth to and from necessary appointments, medical care, daily activities, home visits, etc.;
  • Attend and participate in those activities in which the youth routinely engages, such as school, counseling, community activities, etc.;
  • Work with the birth parents, as needed or deemed appropriate, to prepare them for the youth’s return, and to maintain a sense of family;
  • Communicate with the Level A resource provider support group, if available;
  • Provide the Division with 14 days notice if it is necessary to remove a youth from the home unless an emergency; and
  • If respite care is needed, provide the respite home with an understanding of the youth and the treatment plan which must be continued.

Training:

The resource provider is required to participate in and successfully complete 18 hours of specialized training workshops for the resource provider to sign a Elevated Needs Level A Cooperative Agreement Amendment. The approved training shall include the following topics:

  1. Team and relationship building;
  2. Communication skills;
  3. Behavior management techniques;
  4. Discipline and punishment procedure;
  5. Management of behavior crisis situations;
  6. Development of an individual treatment plan;
  7. De-escalation skills;
  8. Negotiation;
  9. Positive reinforcement technique;
  10. Professional skills for foster parents.

The list of approved Level A training curricula is located on the Resource Development program intranet page.

Competencies for Resource Providers of Youth with Elevated Needs

Specific knowledge and skills are essential before children are placed with families. The competencies were developed for resource providers of youth with elevated needs. Competencies take into account the knowledge of the resource provider and their ability to perform the necessary skills to successfully parent a youth with elevated needs. The following competencies will assist resource workers in assessing the needs of the resource providers and identifying services to achieve these competencies:

Promote Successful Integration into the Family and the Community

  • Understanding how much supervision the youth requires (before placement occurred and during current placement)
  • Assist the youth in adjusting to a new school and community
  • Transitioning the youth into another setting

Meeting Exceptional Care Needs for Special Needs and/or Traumatized Youth 

  • Addressing those needs that exceed normal developmental needs (social, emotional, daily care)
  • Understanding risk factors in the community, school and home setting
  • Understanding but not diagnosing mental illness and other developmental delays 

Assessing Crisis Situations and Utilizing Proper Crisis Intervention/Prevention 

  • Understanding a crisis situation
  • Using appropriate skill sets to deescalate crisis situations
  • Understanding attention seeking behaviors and knowing when to respond
  • Understanding power, authority and control
  • Setting fair and consistent limits
  • Understanding risk factors in the community, school and home setting 

Recognizing and Implementing Positive Approaches to Challenging Behaviors 

  • Identifying challenging behaviors early
  • Clearly defining target behaviors
  • Use of multidisciplinary service team for coordinating care
  • Team based wrap around services

The elevated needs Level A competencies are to be addressed in detail in the resource provider’s home assessment in addition to the traditional resource parent competencies.

Chapter Memoranda History: (prior to 01-31-07)

CS03-21, CS03-27, CD05-72

Memoranda History:

CD09-106, CD10-08, CD10-67,