FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION

PSI licensed foster care and adoption services have offered safe and loving homes to abused and neglected children. PSI helps over 1,000 children and families each year.

Foster and Adoptive Parent Recruitment and Training
PSI trains interested and qualified adults to become foster and adoptive parents for hard to place children. Training is offered in Spanish and English. We want the adults we recruit and train to become “A Child’s Best Memory”. Click here for our "Frequently Asked Questions" about Foster Care.

Specialized Foster Homes
PSI foster homes for children with special medical and emotional challenges offer family counseling, in-home medical and psychiatric services, and daily support to the child and the foster family. Our credentialed social workers are full-time advocates for children, committed to working in the child’s best interest.

Family Reunification and Permanency Services
PSI believes that strong and supportive families are the rights of each child. PSI staff works with families to reunite members, and with children to locate permanent homes.

Wraparound Services and Independent Living
PSI interdisciplinary team helps adolescents make the transition to independence. We stress self-reliance and personal development, through staff motivation counseling, academic/job career counseling, intensive case management, volunteer mentors and community enrichment activities.

Family Preservation

PSI helps families struggling to stay together in the face of overwhelming problems. Our mission to do whatever it takes to preserve the family. PSI staff works with parents and children to prevent the break up of the family.

Revenue Maximization

PSI Case Managers screen children and adults for federal funding. We qualify children and adults for initial and recertified federal funds. Supplemental Security Income for Persons with Disabilities, Medicaid, Title IVe and Interstate Compact. PSI Case Managers also assist private families and government agencies prepare appeals for federal funding to support children and adults with special needs. PSI prepares several hundred applications each month with over 90% funding success rate.

Frequently Asked Questions
About Foster Care

WHAT KIND OF CHILDREN DOES PSI HELP? Children up to 18 years old with emotional problems and who were abused, neglected or abandoned by parents.

WHAT DOES A FOSTER PARENT DO? Gives love, guidance and a temporary home to an abused or neglected child or teen. Foster parents attend school conferences, keep the child's doctor's appointments, and give daily guidance to help the child grow.

WHO CAN BECOME A PSI FOSTER PARENT?  Be a male or female, single or married; 25 years or older with no criminal or child abuse record. Must successfully complete pre-service training mandated by state law, and in-depth screening and interviews by PSI staff. Adults who were foster children or who had troubled teen years often make excellent foster parents.

WHAT IS PRE-SERVICE TRAINING? All foster parents must complete pre-service training...offered free by PSI.

WHAT IS IN-SERVICE TRAINING? PSI offers in-home and group foster parent workshops. Foster Parents must attend annual in-service training.

WHAT DO PSI INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAMS DO? 

Help foster parents and children adjust to each other

Respond to family emergencies

Help the child find a permanent home as quickly as possible

Offer training and counseling to foster parents

Attend court hearings to report on the child's condition and  recommend services the child and foster parents need

Provide in-home therapy

Ensure that the foster child receives the right educational program

ARE THERE SPECIAL CHILDREN WHO NEED FOSTER HOMES?  The greatest need is for persons willing to care for young children with serious medical problems, teenagers with serious emotional problems, and young girls with their infants.

HOW DO I APPLY TO BECOME A PSI FOSTER PARENT? Discuss this with your family. Click here to complete our INITIAL APPLICATION on line. Then, E-mail it to the nearest PSI office. You will be invited to our orientation meeting.

IS THERE AN APPLICATION FEE? No, all services are free.

HOW ARE FOSTER PARENTS PAID? Foster Parents receive board payments for each child in their home. The money is used to pay for room, board and routine expenses, such as clothing.

WHAT ABOUT MEDICAL EXPENSES? Each foster child receives Medicaid services. Foster parents are required to take the children for routine and emergency medical visits.

HOW LONG WILL THE CHILD STAY IN MY HOME? Foster homes are temporary. As soon as possible, the children return to their parents or are adopted.