At Youthville USA our job is to recruit and train parents that will have the dedication and commitment to open their homes and hearts to these kids. We help match the the best home to the specific child's situation, and then provide whatever support and services the parents and child needs. Mentors, school shadows, therapists and medical professionals are all part of the childs treatment team. It is our job to pull all these people together to make the best possible life for that child. Our people have a deep and daily envolvement in the life of that child and the function of that home. We strive for long term. permanent placements and our ultimate goal is adoption, or reunification with the biological parents when appropriate.

Sometimes it takes more support than even a highly trained set of parents and treatment team can provide. Sometimes children require a home environment that features round the clock professional care that only a group or home setting can provide. Youthville USA's group home philosophy is that licensed staffed group home facility can still provide the security, support and caring of a traditional home. Group homes don't have to be the sterile lock-down type of cold medical building. They can be run as traditional homes, with parent figures in the home supported by extra staff in an extended family type dynamic.
This is the Youthville USA way.

What is foster care?
Foster care is a system set up by each state to provide family-based care for children who have been removed from their family by the local social service department due to abuse, neglect, extreme poverty, parental drug and alcohol abuse, parental incarceration or other circumstances affecting a child's wellbeing and safety. Over 11,000 children between the ages of birth and seventeen years old are currently in foster care in North Carolina. These children are in the custody of local county Department of Social Services. They are placed in the private homes of trained and licensed foster parents.

What is Therapuetic Foster Care?
Therapeutic foster care is a higher level of family-based care provided to children with mental health needs and behavioral problems. It combines the elements of foster care with the intensity of care found in residential treatment centers. Children can receive the nurturance and safety of a family while also receiving active and structured treatment. Therapeutic foster parents receive additional training to provide them with the skills necessary to parent these children.

Characteristics of a Therapeutic Level Foster Child?
Therapeutic level foster children typically range in age from seven to seventeen years of age. In addition to dealing with the trauma that necessitated their placement in foster care, these children are also dealing with mental health problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, depression and anxiety. They often require regular therapy and medication as a form of treatment.

How Do I Become A Foster Parent?
Youthville, USA does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, gender, marital status, employment status or sexual orientation. However, certain State and agency requirements do exist. Potential applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Must be at least 21 years of age
• Can be single or married
• Can have children in your home or not
• Can own or rent your residence
• Residence must have adequate space for foster children
• Must have reliable transportation
• Must be able to financially meet the needs of your family
• Must be in relatively good health
• Cannot have a substantiated child abuse/neglect charge
• Cannot have a violent criminal history or recent drug/DWI charges

Training Opportunites
Therapeutic foster parents become licensed by the NC Department of Health and Human Services/DSS. Youthville, USA, as a licensed child-placing agency, is able to assist applicants in the foster parent licensing process. The licensure process generally takes about 90 days to complete. The basic steps to licensure as follows:

• Foster parent applicants must submit an agency application.
• At least three personal references will be contacted.
• Foster parent applicants must complete 45 hours of pre-service training provided by Youthville, USA.
• Foster parent applicants must become certified in CPR and First Aid
• All family members 18 years and older must be fingerprinted in order to obtain a criminal background check
• Each foster parent applicant will also undergo an additional background check to include a DMV record search and a misdemeanor search
• Each foster parent applicant must submit an autobiography
• All family members must have a physical exam and TB skin test
• A social worker will come to your home at least once to interview every member of the family
• Your home must undergo a fire safety inspection and an environmental inspection to ensure it meets state standards
• Foster parent applicants must show proof of employment, level of education, car insurance and home owners/renter's insurance. They must also provide a copy of their driver's license and social security card
• Foster parent applicants must sign a Foster Parent Agreement