Foster Care
Providing 24/7, community-based foster homes for children and youth who are temporarily unable to remain in their home due to abuse, neglect, dependency, delinquency, family conflict or caregiver substance abuse.
Services include the provision of safe, supportive, nurturing living arrangements in licensed foster homes. A primary focus of services is the preservation of, and connection to family through visitation between the child or youth and their family, and strong involvement of the family in their care and treatment. NYAP foster care is unique in promoting foster parent engagement with families of origin, with the goal of foster parents becoming mentors and natural supports for the families of children and youth served. Foster care services are provided by foster parents who are recruited, trained, and certified or licensed by NYAP and by trained and credentialed employees. Both employees and foster parents receive extensive training in trauma informed care so they will be well equipped to respond to emotional dysregulation and behavioral challenges with compassion and effective strategies. NYAP specializes in therapeutic foster care to meet the needs of older youth and adolescents with emotional and behavioral challenges and those with specialized medical needs.
Children and youth living in foster care are engaged in case management services including assessment, service planning, services, and interventions to address emotional, physical, and behavioral challenges in order to promote stabilization and enhance permanency potential.
While state specific terminology may vary, NYAP operates under two broad categories, or levels of Foster Care:
Family Foster Care (Traditional Level of Care): The family foster care program provides foster homes to children and youth whose needs are typically limited to basic care, nurturing and supervision.
Specialized/Treatment Foster Care (Therapeutic Level of Care): The treatment foster care program is designed for children and youth who have specialized medical, emotional, or behavioral needs that require care or supervision. Treatment foster care is a time limited, individualized service based on youth needs and may be provided as an alternative to residential treatment or institutional care.