Treatment Foster Home program starts in Ohio

A treatment foster program has started in Ohio.

The treatment foster home program allows youth requiring out-of-home care to remain in or near their Belmont, Jefferson, and Morgan County community in a more specialized home setting.

The Treatment Foster Home program will connect foster children who are facing significant behavioral health challenges with treatment foster families who are equipped to support children with complex needs in their homes, as opposed to placing them in congregate or residential facilities.

The program requires additional specialized training for youth who have significant behavioral health challenges.

The tri-county program has contracted with Kendall Behavior Solutions, who will complete individual treatment plans for those youth placed in treatment foster homes. Kendall Behavior Solutions, along with the treatment foster caregiver, foster treatment home supervisor and ongoing case worker, will work to increase the child’s ability to live with a family successfully within the community.

This new program will be led by Christy Devore, the Treatment Foster Care Supervisor for all 3 counties.

Christy will work with any currently licensed family who is interested in upgrading to a treatment home and will also recruit new homes.

Christy will work closely with those families to bring about local therapeutic care for children who are often placed out of the county, and sometimes out of state. Anyone interested in more information about what treatment foster care is or how to become licensed may reach out to Christy at: Christy.Devore@jfs.ohio.gov or at 740-579-0354.

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