April 12, 2013
Minister Announces Final Phase in Implementation of Continuum of Care Strategy
Budget 2013: A Sound Plan, A Secure Future invests a total of $14.3 million to continue the implementation of the Provincial Government’s Continuum of Care Strategy to improve the placement options for children and youth in need of out-of-home care.
At an event attended by the Newfoundland and Labrador Foster Families Association earlier today the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services, announced the release of a Request For Proposals (RFP) to commence the development and delivery of a training program for specialized (level 3) foster homes. Level 3 foster homes are approved foster homes with a stay-at-home foster parent who has specialized knowledge, skills and training to care for children and youth who have highly complex emotional, behavioral or medical needs.
“Our government remains committed to investing in families by continuing to support and further enhance service delivery to children and youth,” said Minister Johnson. “Developing and delivering an intensive training program that can better prepare and support specialized foster parents is essential to ensuring there is a broad range of placement options for children and youth, including those with highly complex needs.”
For those interested in submitting proposals, a copy of the RFP is available on the Government Purchasing Agency website at www.gpa.gov.nl.ca. The deadline for proposals is May 10, 2013.
”The implementation of the new level system is a monumental step forward for the foster care program in our province,” said Diane Molloy, Executive Director of the Newfoundland and Labrador Foster Families Association. “We commend the department for their commitment and are very pleased that the Continuum of Care Strategy continues to be a key priority area for government.”
The Continuum of Care Strategy will be fully implemented this year and to date, the department has implemented:
- The Foster a Future…Foster a Child Today campaign to recruit new foster
parents;
- Levels 1 and 2 of a new four-level system, which provides compensation
specific to each level by recognizing the experiences, training and skills
of foster parents and matching children and youth with a foster family which
best meets their specific needs; and,
- A RFP for Level 4 contracted staffed residential placements, which will be awarded in the coming months.
Further details regarding the new four-level system under the Continuum
of Care Strategy are included in the backgrounder below.
Through Budget 2013, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador remains committed to enhancing program and service delivery to children and youth with focused investments totalling $185.3 million for the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services.
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Media contacts:
| Michelle Hunt Director of Communications Department of Child, Youth and Family Services 709-729-5148, 725-1593 michellehunt@gov.nl.ca |
Diane Molloy Executive Director Newfoundland and Labrador Foster Families Association 709-754-0213 dianemolloy@nfld.net |
BACKGROUNDER
Highlights of the Continuum of Care Strategy
As outlined on June 1 during the 2012 National Foster Families Conference in St. John’s, the existing continuum of out-of-home placement options for children and youth has been replaced by a new level system consisting of:
Level 1: Kinship Homes, Relative/Significant Other Foster Homes and Interim Approved Non-Relative Foster Homes
- Families approved through the Child Welfare Allowance Program are now
called Kinship Homes. These homes provide care to a child or youth who they
are related to or have a significant relationship with as part of a plan
with a parent(s) to prevent the child from coming into the care or custody
of a Manager of Child, Youth and Family Services.
- The Child Welfare Allowance rate, including any special needs assessment
rate, has been replaced by the current basic foster care rate.
- Kinship homes are reimbursed at the current basic foster care rate plus
some other individualized child specific costs related to transportation, counselling, health, medical, child care, and education. These homes will
receive the child tax credit directly.
- Relative/significant other foster homes and interim approved non-relative
foster homes are reimbursed at the current basic foster care rate plus some
other individualized child specific costs; receive a portion of the child
tax credit in the amount of $85, as well as block funding in the amount of
$300 per month to cover the costs associated with social recreational
activities, transportation and the equivalent of one weekend respite.
- Level 2 include foster homes (relative/significant other and non-relative)
that have completed Parents’ Resources for Information, Development and
Education (PRIDE) and provide care and support to children and youth
requiring a foster home.
- For each child and youth, foster homes receive the current basic foster
care rate per month plus some other individualized child specific costs;
receive a portion of the child tax credit in the amount of $85; block
funding, and a level fee of $600 that will replace the existing special
needs assessment rate.
- For those foster homes eligible for respite, the existing weekend respite rate of $135 for a two-day weekend and $180 for a three-day weekend has been increased by $40 per weekend.
Level 3: Specialized Foster Homes
- Level 3 will be specialized foster homes that must meet all the
requirements of Level 2 homes, plus will be assessed as having the skills
and willingness to meet Level 3 expectations; participate in specialized
training; have a stay-at-home foster parent, and will be matched with
children and youth that have very complex needs.
- For each child and youth, these specialized foster homes will receive the
current basic foster care rate per month plus some other individualized
child specific costs; receive a portion of the child tax credit in the
amount of $85; block funding; a level fee of $1,600; an additional respite
weekend bringing the total to two per month, and wrap around supports (e.g.
support worker).
- For those foster homes currently eligible for respite, the existing weekend respite rate of $135 for a two-day weekend and $180 for a three-day weekend will be increased by $65 per weekend.
Level 4: Staffed Residential Placement Resources
- Level 4 will include all types of staffed living arrangements that will
provide care to children and youth with the most complex emotional and/or behavioural needs.
- The Department of Child, Youth and Family Services has consulted with current residential care providers and has issued a Request for Proposals for the provision of staffed residential placement resources that will be awarded in the coming months.
2013 04 12 1:35 p.m.