Training and Licensing Quality Foster Homes within 90 Days

1. Training and Licensing Quality Foster Homes within 90 Days

2. Today you will learn ….. • The layout of our preservice training • What we are doing to ensure that our caregivers are trauma informed • How we intertwine the training with the required licensing documentation to license a home in less than 90 days

3. Outline of Preservice Training • Eight classes with interactive hands-on experiences • Three hours each • Different locations/times Passport to ParentingFoster Parent Training Guide

4. Passport to Parenting Training • Orientation • Outline of Heartland history as a CBC • Our expectations, what they can expect • Schedule of the classes and content • Sitter training outlined (discipline/confidentiality) • Pass out Family Profiles which are due next week

5. Passport to Parenting Training • Class #1 A Day in the Life of Foster Parents • Presentation by a foster parent • Arrangement of foster parent shadowing opportunity • Faces of Foster Care video • Policies, Procedures and Partnership Plan discussion • Class #2 Getting to Know the Kids • Presentation by IL Coordinator and a youth • Attachment/Development (from MAPP) • Guided Imagery/Birth Family Connections

6. Passport to Parenting Training • Class #3 Trauma Informed Care & Emotional Regulatory Healing • Healing Neen Video/Discussion • Emotional Regulatory Healing (adapted from Julie Alvarado) • Understanding trauma & the brain, Creating Sanctuary • Class #4 Co-Parenting Philosophy and Practice & Sexual Safety • Co-Parenting presenter, Bill Nunnally and foster parent • Sexual safety conversation training (adapted from Wayne Duehn) • Creating Sexual Safety plans

7. Passport to Parenting Training • Class #5 Getting to Know Everyone • Panel presentation • Arrangement for court shadowing • Devereux Adult Resiliency training with Deb Alleyne • Class #6 Understanding Substance Abuse & Getting to Know the Biological Family • Presentation by local Mental Health and Substance Abuse expert • Presentation by a birth parent who successfully completed a substance abuse program and had children reunified • Psychotropic Medication training

8. Passport to Parenting Training • Class #7 Working with Schools and Childcare & How a Child Impacts your Family • School liaison talks about how to work in partnership • Participants are given school/day care field assignment • What a child brings and Understanding Grief and Loss (from MAPP) • Class #8 It Takes the Whole Family & Visitation • Foster family presentation with biological and foster children • Car Seat Safety training • Visitation Training

9. Licensing Concurrently with Training • Orientation – • Every family gets a folder, their “mailbox” in which paperwork is given each week, and they turn papers in to the folder as well • We pass out profiles, release of information, residence form, and FAHIS check form • We also ask them to review the Affidavit of Good Moral Character, not sign yet, to see if they have any disqualifying charges. This is reviewed next class • We hand out a checklist for them to track their own progress in turning documents in • Calendar of classes/document due dates handed out

10. Licensing Concurrently with Training • Class #1 • Provide all policies to participants and review as a class • All of our trainers are Notaries so everyone gets their AGMC signed that night • Provide right number of references per home (adult child, employer, personal, etc) • Review additional licensing requirements such as fire extinguisher, sanitation, radon, etc)

11. Licensing Concurrently with Training • Class #2 • Our certified trainers are also our licensing counselors and they will have read all profiles by class #2 • Fingerprinting occurs on this night, we have a live scan machine in our office • A separate sitter training takes place for the babysitters on this night, and they are fingerprinted as well • All forms and profiles should be in by now • First home visits are scheduled week 2 or 3

12. Licensing Concurrently with Training • Class #3 • Initial visits are still being scheduled • After the initial visit the licensing counselor begins typing up the home study • Various other licensing documentation will be coming in and it is reviewed and placed in order, in the file

13. Licensing Concurrently with Training • Class #4 • Sanitation information/directions are passed out (we pay for this) • Radon test information is passed out • Class #5 • Nothing specific here, but class is reminded that all references are due next week • Second home visits are conducted this week or next • Class #6 & 7 • All references are due class #6 • Files start being prepared for and receive a peer review • Sanitation, radon results start coming in

14. Licensing Concurrently with Training • Class #8 • All documentation should be in, or barriers known so we can assist family with getting them • Peer reviews should be done and file can come to supervisor for review • File is usually just waiting for graduation certificate and can be sent to region for approval

15. Our Statistics • 87% of the homes we licensed this last year were licensed in less than 90 days • 63% of the homes we licensed last year were licensed in less than 40 days • Effective July 1, we will be using the attestation model, decreasing our time even more

16. Best Practices….. • Trainers also license the homes • Weekly Supervision • P-Harmony & Match Meeting • Peer Review • Utilization of Checklist which includes DCF QA tool • Assessments (e.g. ACE Questionnaire, Sexual Attitude Survey)

17. Questions & Answers