Supported Foster Care Program
Created in 1996 responding to the growing needs of our growing community to provide a safe, loving environment for children between the ages of infancy to eighteen (18) of all races and ethnic backgrounds who have been victims of sexual/physical abuse, neglect of abandonment.
SFCP Goals
To recruit, train and support potential foster parents to take on the responsibility of raising abused, abandoned and neglected children until permanent placement is found or reunification with their biological families is accomplished.
Our Services
Full Case Management
- One case manager per foster family providing support 24 hours/7 days a week and acting as the agency's link between the birth parents, the child and foster parents.
Medical Services
- A nurse on staff will assess all of the client's medical, dental and vision needs upon admission.
- Medical, dental and vision screening within 60 days of admission.
- Mental status examination by a consulting psychiatrist within 30 days of admission.
- A program aide/transporter working closely with the case manager, foster parents and any involved parties is assigned to the child upon admission to transport him/her to medical appointments.
Therapeutic Services
- Master's level therapists working with the child, foster and biological families in order to deal with any ongoing issues that need to be resolved.
- Family Services Planning Team for those severely abused children in need of a more secure psychiatric setting and placement in other local residential programs working closely with the CHARLEE Program.
Court Services
- An attorney on staff, two full time court liaison services and administrative support providing up to date, comprehensive and ethical information to the courts as needed.
Diligent Search Services
- Two full time CHARLEE staff working to locate biological parents who are missing, to facilitate reunification when possible.
Medicaid/SSI/SSA Documentation
- Technical assistance in documentation for children receiving SSI/SSA benefits.
Afterschool Care and Day Services/Extracurricular/Program Activities
- Age-appropriate therapeutic activities to develop social skills, anger management and creative expression.
- An Employee Activity Committee to coordinate the CHARLEE Program's annual picnic, children's holiday party, graduation luncheon and debutante ball. Local vendors underwrite the majority of the costs involved in these activities.
HOW DO I BECOME A FOSTER PARENT?
- Call our Supported Foster Care Staff at (305) 669-HOME (4663)
- Attend an Orientation Meeting to help you make a decision if this is the right step for you and to answer any questions you have.
- A preliminary home visit is arranged to assess the physical space you have available for the child.
- Attend a 10 week (MAPP) America's Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting Program training/preparation program.
- A CHARLEE staff person will visit your home to discuss licensing procedures.
- A licensing package is submitted to the Department of Children & Families by the CHARLEE staff.
- Your license to become a foster parent is granted and our CHARLEE staff looks for an appropriate match between your family and a needy child.
HOW CHARLEE HELPS YOU
- Pre-service and ongoing in-service training and preparation sessions. Our extensive training includes topics such as sexual abuse issues, separation and loss issues, behavior management techniques and specific topics geared for the child entering the foster care system.
- A CHARLEE case manager to provide 24-hour/7 day a week support to the foster family and child.
- A Department of Children and Families/CHARLEE Foster Parent License.
- A Certificate of Completion of the Child Welfare League of America's Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting Program (MAPP).
- Network of community support services (i.e., clothing, furniture and toy donations, tutoring services...) at minimal or no cost.
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