long term foster care
what is long term foster care?
In January 2024 LFSRM was awarded an exciting new federal program called Long Term Foster Care (LTFC). This program serves youth while they are working on legal relief in the United States. These youth have been obtained at the southern border by the federal government, do not have any identified sponsors to reunite with, and have a likely pathway to legal relief in the US. Generally, these youth spend their time in a shelter-like setting, while they work to gain legal relief. The LTFC program allows the youth to have an alternative to living in the shelter. They are connected with licensed foster homes, where they can live with a family, attend public school, and begin making connections within a community. Many of these youth are from Latin American countries and are between the ages of 13 and 17. Once a youth in the LTFC program achieves legal status, they may become eligible for the URM program.
How is this program different from traditional foster care?
Youth in the LTFC program are in the custody of the federal government under the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), instead of a local county having custody. Therefore, there are federal regulations that guide the support offered to youth in this program.
Foster Homes which support LTFC follow the same state guidelines in regards to licensure, training, and on-going oversight. A licensed foster home for the LTFC program may also foster youth in the URM program.
Foster parents will receive additional training, above the standard requirements, to gain a deeper understanding of the youth in this program, the federal rules and regulations, and gain skills on how to responsively support these youth. Additionally, the LTFC program has robust therapeutic services offered to each youth in the program.
what is the need?
The LTFC program is designed to serve 24 youth in total: 12 will be in Denver metro and 12 will be in the Northern Colorado area. This is in addition to the 75-80 unaccompanied minors served in our URM program annually.
Am I equipped to help someone who doesn’t speak English to become part of my home and community?
LFSRM is looking for individuals and families who can provide a safe and loving home. A case manager is assigned to each family to provide specialized training and individualized support that helps the family navigate the lives of the youth. This includes the youth’s transition into your home, their English language development, their enrollment in public school, their arrangment of medical services and specialized mental health care as needed. A monthly stipend is provided to the family to assist in meeting the youth’s needs and all medical coverage. Interpretation and translation services are available per the youth's request.
i work and have my own kids. can i do this?
Yes! These kids follow a traditional schedule of school and extra curricular activities. They may have additional appointments to support their therapeutic, medical, and cultural needs, but most families have found that they can balance these needs while supporting those of their own family.
Become a foster parent!
Foster care supporting unaccompanied children is a challenging and rewarding job. The young people in the program have endured traumatic events. Most are from cultures that are very different than our own and many know little English when they arrive. They need a great deal of patience and understanding.
As a foster parent, you can help these children adjust to our educational, financial, political and social systems, helping them learn to function independently while also encouraging them to maintain their own culture.
As a foster parent for LTFC and URM programs, you must attend initial and ongoing foster parent training as well as cultural training.
To become a foster parent for LTFC and URM programs contact us today!