Youth Services System, Inc.

1000 Chapline Street
Wheeling WV  26003
304-233-9627
24 - Hour Help Line - Call 1-800-YSS-8918
E-Mail
 hfox@ysswv.com

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FOSTER CARE

Individualized service in an alternative family setting for a dependent child who is unable to live at home.

A.    Level I - "Traditional" Foster Care:    Placement is designed for children with no to mild behavioral or emotional problems who are best served in a family setting pending a more permanent arrangement.  Duration of care may vary from weeks to years.  (For purposes of documenting current capacity, this level refers to DHHR foster families.)

B.    Level II - Therapeutic Foster Care (Moderate Management):    Individualized, therapeutic foster homes with specially recruited, trained and supported foster parents, in which children are individually placed.  Clinically trained professionals provide crisis support, case management and treatment services throughout the child's length of stay.  The purpose  of this service is to enable children to overcome their problems in a highly supportive, individualized and flexible placement which will assist them to move to a less intensive out-of-home setting or return to their families.  Level II refers to level of supervision and intensity of services required to serve the child who presents moderate emotional and/or behavior management problems.

C.    Level III - Therapeutic Foster Care (High Management):    Refers to level of supervision and intensity of services required to manage and treat the child who has severe emotional and/or behavior management problems.  High management care may include two adults as foster parents or supplemental assistance in the form of support personnel for one foster parent.  Typically, only one child is served per treatment family.