Advertisements
Hi all. I am currently with a private foster agency. I have been licensed with them for a therapeutic home for 3 months. Needless to say I haven't gotten any kids yet, and from what I hear it will be a long time before I do. I know a part of it is the county I live in, but the other part is the extra cost for therapeutic homes. I was just wanting to see if someone out there has any unbiased advice. The only person I have to talk to works for the agency, and well she is very biased. I am just frustrated at this point. We was told going through the classes that we was so needed and how many other placements they have done. Then the day we sign our final paperwork she says, "give us a year" Then we hear a lot of "good luck getting kids in that county" or "good luck getting kids through a private agency" We entered this journey to help the kids out there that need a temporary home, and to eventually adopt and expand our family. I'm just not very hopeful that we will be able to do this with our current situation. And the last thing I want to do is lose hope, ya know? So any suggestions or anything would be greatly appreciated. We are SNAP approved and have an interview in a little over a week for a group of 4 boys. I'm hoping that goes well, but if not, I am seriously thinking of switching to county. Thank you for reading.
Like
Share
we are with the county, and i have to say we are never lacking for placements. i got placed with a 2 day old boy back in march and when he went home i got placed with a child who was 10 days older than he would be now, and this was all within 30 days.
in fact, i even turned down a placement for another baby this past weekend because with the baby, my other foster son and recently adopted son, i felt a little overwhelmed. she was special needs otherwise i would have taken the little pumpkin.
with that said, i can't speak on the therapeutic end, but if you can deal with more than likely getting the same type of kids, just lumped together for far lower per diem than a private therapeutic agency, i think i would say to go with the county.
i know i just wanted to jump right in and get my feet wet and the extra per diem that a private agency offered wasn't enough of a motivator to go that route, lol.
i was a little impatient, altho i certainly don't begrudge anyone going that route either. just a matter of preference, as i'm sure anyone will tell you. in addition, with my preferred age range, 0-2, i was told it was better to go thru the county.
hope that helps....i also think it should be considered that with the economy being the way it is, and we have all heard about there not being much money, the state might be trying to find cheaper ways to place these children and won't refer them to therapeutic agencies just to save some money.
both boys i have currently should have easily been special needs/therapeutic, but because they were county placed, normal per diem rates applied. :p
Advertisements
I am in the same boat...licensed with private agency for therapeutic home (max you can have are two therapeutic f/c) up to five basic f/c...only wanted 0-12 range and will take sib groups...have been called, not often, (I have been calling them) with 14-18 yo...I am thinking of switching too. I am here in Charlotte NC and I was told by CW that they get their referrals from DSS, so maybe that is where I need to be?:grr:
Thank you for all your responses. It is really not about the money when we signed up. To be honest, we didn't do our homework to the extent we should have when we started the process. We just figured that if an agency was behind us, we would have the support behind us. The one thing we have heard with going through county is no one is there for you if you need them. So don't know how true that is. We didn't even really know we was therapeutic until we were halfway through the classes. Like I said, didn't really do our homework like we should have. We have an interview in a little over a week for a set of boys. I think if we don't get them, we will make the switch. Also, if you adopt through the county, do you still get the adoption assistance? the IV/E (I think) where you get the NRAE, AAP, Medicaid? Or is it state subsidy?
i just adopted my son thru foster care and i was approved for the subsidy, so yes, it is possible.
i agree about sometimes being left to fend for yourself with the state. i definitely had to hit the ground running and ask questions where i could and absorb everything i could. there is not a huge support system and you are expected to be pretty self sufficient. i count myself lucky to have made some good contacts and i have really tried to maintain them through out this process.
i also got very lucky when we moved to get assigned a phenomenal licensing case manager who is amazing. case in point? within 2 months of her inspecting my house i had my updated license. within 30 days of adopting my son, she issued ANOTHER updated license reflecting the change.
i think it took me almost a year to get my very first license from the state, lol...and it was still wrong. :flower:
Advertisements
Hey Indiana, I totally know where your coming from. IMO I think that it really don't matter whether you are with private or county. However, if you are looking at snap for adoption, I would definitely go with the county. For example, I'm with the county and they called me the other day because I am foster/adopt, and they have a sibling group they would like us to meet for possible adoption. I have done foster care for only about 6 months now and I had two short placements. I am in eastern Ky. Private supposedly pays a little more, but if you are going to adopt also, I think you would be better off with the county. Keep me posted. Good luck with your sibling group of four boys. :)