The Dan Fox Family Care Program offers Foster Care and Adoption as well as in-home Family Support Services. The children we serve are ages 2-18 years of age and are referred, mostly, from child welfare workers, mental health case managers and youth corrections workers.
Foster Care and Adoption
In our foster care/adoption component, we place children into families that we have recruited, screened, trained and licensed or support placements made by the State Child Welfare Agency (Montana Child and Family Services Division). Our goal is to create and maintain healthy family environments within which children, who have been abused and neglected, can begin to heal and find permanency or stability. Some placements are time limited and the placement stays as a foster placement as the child works toward family reunification but in many cases the child is available and appropriate to permanency and we work toward adoption or, at least, guardianship. We offer three levels of out of home care for children in our program:
• Permanency Level Foster Care – is for children who need either a temporary or long-term supported foster placement, but do not require a coordinated treatment plan for therapeutic care. Some additional resources may be needed for these children but they can be expected to be relatively stable in substitute care; foster parents provide the majority of intervention in these cases. Children enter our program at this level or step down to it when therapeutic goals have been reached and they are stable in a placement.
• Therapeutic Foster Care – is a more intensive level of foster care where foster parents, a Caseworker, the therapist and the referring agency caseworker work as a coordinated Treatment Team to meet a child’s emotional and development needs. Foster parents are encouraged to be clinically involved as is appropriate and desired. Efforts of this service are more team-oriented and directed with the foster family viewed as important, in-home members of the Team.
• Adoption Services - offer a full array of adoptive services. Often higher-needs children can be adopted through us, starting in therapeutic foster care and working toward permanency with adoption as the child stabilizes. We provide services to help families through all the steps of the adoption process, often turning the case back over to the State to assist the family in avoiding unnecessary legal fees. We also contract to provide home studies for families who plan to adopt through private agencies, including international adoptions.
Family Support Services
Family Support Services is designed to help strengthen families. We work with biological, adoptive, and foster families to support, coach and guide them to improve family relationships. Our belief is that with coaching and guidance from the staff, parents can maintain the child in their care and in their family home.
Beliefs
Our belief is that most children can heal within the relationship of a family. With committed parents and the support of our trained staff, children learn to trust adults and make positive changes in their lives. Our investment is in the child but made through identifying, developing and supporting the unique talents of the child’s parents and family.
Location
The Program serves children and families in Western Montana, with offices and staff in Missoula, Polson and Helena. The Bitterroot Valley is served out of our Missoula Office.
Target Population
The Dan Fox Family Care Program serves children ages 2-18 years old who struggle with emotional challenges.
Criteria for Admission
Child is referred for the need for placement and/or support and the child is accepted if it can be determined that he or she is able to safely and appropriately live in a family.
Application
We require a written application to apply for a service in the Dan Fox Family Care Program. The application(s) can be downloaded here, or received by calling 721-2754 in Missoula and 443-4730 in Helena. A submitted application will be reviewed and presented to the Youth Homes’ Admission’s Committee within 2 weeks. At times, further information is requested so that the best decision can be made about service for a child and family. A staff will contact the referring person(s) within 24 hours of a decision.
Staff Design
Each child and family is assigned a Treatment Manager and Supervisor with whom they will work closely with in the Program. The Treatment Manager develops a plan for each youth which directs our therapeutic work. The individualized plan is based on the unique needs, strengths and struggles of each child and family. Treatment Managers have a small number of clients to ensure contact as directed by the Plan and service agreement. Treatment managers must have a bachelor’s degree in social work, counseling, psychology and experience with children in the public welfare system. Almost half of our managers have master’s degrees. A Master’s level Clinical Supervisor’s meets weekly with Treatment Managers to ensure quality service for the youth and families and signs off on all treatment plans.
Program Structure
All youth and families will receive:
* Regular contact with assigned treatment manager.
* Guidance and support from the treatment manager.
* Clinical oversight offered by a Clinical Supervisor.
* 24 hour, 7 days a week warm line for youth in care related emergencies.
* Monthly parent trainings and support groups.
* Opportunities for cultural enrichment.
* Coordination with Team Members and regular Team meetings.
* Access to community resources as needed.
Contact
Erin Williams, LCPC
Program Director
515 S. Reserve Street, Suite 5
Missoula, MT 59801
ewilliams@youthhomes.com
Faron McWilliams
Services Coordinator
515 S. Reserve Street, Suite 5
Missoula, MT 59801
fmcwilliams@youthhomes.com