Spotlight on....Therapeutic Foster Care
The State of Mississippi has 5100 children in the custody of the Department of Human Services (DHS). These children have been neglected by their parents. Many have been physically, sexually, and/or emotionally abused. Their parents have put them in unsafe situations, such as places where drugs are manufactured or used. Many times, their parents have a mental illness or are addicted to drugs or alcohol. In these cases DHS intervenes and attempts to place children into safe, loving homes through partnering with various agencies in the state.
One of these agencies is Catholic Charities through its Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) program. Because of its therapeutic structure and ability to clinically treat the resulting trauma that nearly all of its foster children have experienced, TFC accepts children with a Seriously Emotionally Disturbed (SED) diagnosis, typically characterized as having 1) a DSM diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorder, childhood schizophrenia, conduct disorder, affective disorder, other disruptive behaviors, or other disorders with serious medical implications such as eating disorders, or persistent involvement with alcohol or drugs; and 2) considerable difficulty in functioning. these foster children can pose some unique challenges, foster parents in the TFC program receive tremendous support through a staff of trained clinicians who are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In addition to the 32 hours of pre-service training that each foster parent receives, they also receive 24 hours of training annually. There is a Foster Parent Resource Specialist, Jill Sharp, on staff who focuses on support for the foster parents as well. Sharp strongly believes in how valuable the foster parent is in ensuring a bright future for TFC’s foster children, stating, “Our foster parents are the light through what would be an otherwise dark path.”
Each foster child meets with their therapist weekly, and twice a month with their therapist and their foster parent in a family session setting. All of the child’s medical and dental needs are met, and he/she sees a psychiatrist regularly. A monthly board payment is also provided to cover the child’s food, clothing, and school needs.
If a foster child’s birth parents can eventually prove that they can provide a safe, nurturing home, they are reunited with their children. However, many birth parents legally terminate their parental rights, and their children are either adopted or “age out” of the foster care system at adulthood. Because the bond between foster parent and child typically becomes very strong, many TFC foster parents decide to make the child a permanent part of their family by adopting.
For more information on becoming a foster parent through Catholic Charities’ Therapeutic Foster Care Program, contact Stacy Pajak at 601-326-3744, or stacy.pajak@ccjackson.org.