| |
Programs |
Features of
Program
Design |
Whole Family Placement (MN) |
A New Life
(Philadelphia, PA) |
Ukama Project
(Oakland, CA) |
Sponsoring
&
Implementing Agency(s) |
Growing Home MN (formerly MN Human Service
Associates)—a private, non-profit, treatment foster
care agency |
RW Brown Community Center (part of Crime
Prevention Association of Philadelphia—a private,
non-profit organization) |
Alameda County Social Services Agency through
a contract with Family Support Services of the Bay Area—a
private, non-profit agency |
| Funding |
General and foster care funds from each
referring child welfare agency |
Local Coordinated Office for Drug &
Alcohol Abuse Programs
State Medical Assistance (through local managed behavioral
healthcare company)
County Office of Emergency Shelter
Services (for transitional housing)
Philadelphia Dept. of Human Services discretionary
funds |
Private foundation
Federal IV-E (foster care) and IV-B (family preservation)
funds
State funds for child welfare services
County general funds |
Target
Population |
Families in child welfare system referred
by social services, child protection, or the court |
Substance abusing women who are pregnant,
have children with them, or are trying to reunify with
their children |
Families in the child welfare system (primarily,
but not necessarily, in family reunification) |
| Mentors (1) |
Individuals and couples, most of whom have
previous experience as foster parents (often with teen
moms) and do not work outside the home
Licensed as child foster families with a state waiver
on a case-by-case basis |
African American women (single and married)
who are typically retired, often widowed, and primarily
lower-middle class
Not licensed as foster parents (but certified through
Crime Prevention Association) |
Individuals and couples in the community
who generally work outside the home
Not licensed as foster parents |
Placement
Duration |
1-24 months (avg. 6 months) |
3-6months (avg. 5.5 months) |
6-13 months (avg. 9.5 months) |
Unique
Program
Elements |
Regional program (accepts referrals from
various counties)
Started as program for homeless families with funding
from Comic Relief and HUD
At least one mentor is licensed as a group home and
accepts more than 1 family at a time |
Housed in community center
Provides intensive comprehensive outpatient drug treatment
program (with on-site child care) that all clients must
participate in.
Provides 1 year of transitional housing
after the mentor placement (in 3 homes for up to 9 families) |
One county welfare worker initially screens
all families referred to the program and works closely
with program staff
County initiated the program with sole source contract
to FSSBA |
1) Although most programs do not license their mentors, they
all have rigorous screening procedures and certification requirements
similar to the licensing regulations.
