| |
Programs |
| Features
of Program Design |
Shared Family
Care (Contra Costa County, CA) |
Shared Family
Care (San Francisco, CA) |
Shared Family
Care
(Colorado Springs, CO) |
Shared Family
Care (Milwaukee, WI) |
Sponsoring
&
Implementing Agency(s) |
Contra Costa Employment and Human Services Department
through 2 private, non-profit agencies: Families First,
Inc. and The Center for Human Development |
San Francisco Department of Human Services and Mt. St.
Joseph-St. Elizabeth’s Epiphany Center |
CHINS Up, Inc.—
a private, community-based foster care agency |
Innovative Family Partnerships, Inc. (a private, non-profit)
in collaboration with Children’s Service Society
of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Women’s Center, and YW-Works |
| Funding |
Private foundation
Title IV-B (family preservation funds)
TANF incentive funds |
Private Foundation
Title IV-E funds (through waiver)
Epiphany Center |
Private foundations and donations
County foster care dollars through El Paso County Department
of Human Services |
Milwaukee Foundations
State general funds Title IV-E anticipated (applying
for a waiver) |
| Target Population |
Families in the child welfare system |
Families in the child welfare system (began with families
of drug-exposed infants who were in temporary protective
custody) |
Families in the child welfare system
Families with drug court or criminal court involvement
Families who self-refer |
Parents whose children are detained by the Bureau of
Milwaukee Child Welfare |
| Mentors (1) |
Individuals and couples in the community
who generally work outside the home
Not licensed as foster parents |
Previous foster parents and other individuals
in the community who generally work outside the home
Not licensed as foster parents |
Parents in the community who want to
help families in need and choose SFC rather than foster
care or adoption (CHINS Up recruits for all 3 simultaneously)
Licensed as foster homes (except for 1 home that is
not used for child welfare cases) |
Individuals or couples who have overcome
obstacles in their own lives
Licensed as treatment foster care parents |
| Placement Duration |
2-12.5 months (avg. 7.5 months) |
10-14.5 months (avg. 12 months) |
1-12 months (avg. 3.5 months) |
9-12 months |
| Unique Program Elements |
Housing coordinator on staff assists
families in obtaining permanent housing following their
placements
County initiated the program through an RFP as part
of a "family enhancement collaborative" that
includes family preservation and kinship services |
Initially, program specifically targeted
families of drug-exposed infants removed from their
parents and residing in the Epiphany Center’s
STAR program where parent’s participated in an
intensive out-patient drug treatment program
Current program implemented directly through public
(city) child welfare agency |
Accepts referrals from various sources,
including self-referrals and serves any family who expresses
a willingness to change or benefit from the program
Works closely with family drug court that refers families
to program
Funded primarily through private money |
Lead agency has formal partnerships
with various agencies to provide foster care licensing,
drug treatment, domestic violence and mental health
treatment, and welfare to work services
Program has 2 levels of care: (1) residential (family
lives with mentor); and (2) non-residential (children
live with mentor who works with whole family 3-5 days
per week) |
1) Although most programs do not license their mentors, they
all have rigorous screening procedures and certification requirements
similar to the licensing regulations.
