FocusV20No4

Foster care has an image issue. Both
public perception and internal expecta-
tions often project a negative image of
a system that serves over a half million
of our nation’s youth and that watches
over 20,000 who leave care as legal
adults each year. Open any media out-
let and you will find foster youth por-
trayed as delinquents and foster par-
ents alleged to be getting rich off the
system or abusing the children in their
care. Television shows almost always
associate serial killers with some sort
of disturbed and warped experience in
foster care. This lopsided media por-
trayal of foster care has fed the current
negative public perception, and recent
cases of system corruption and abuse
haven’t helped.
Fragmented among federal, state, and
private agencies, the annual costs of
foster care exceed $9 billion. Foster
care at its core is a business that serves
a specific community need. Stakeholders
include the children who receive servic-
es, biological parents and other extend-
ed family members, foster parents, and
social workers. Shareholders can be
lumped into three categories: federal
agencies, state agencies, and private
foundations or individual contributors.
Most foster care agencies are con-
sidered nonprofit, which is a tax status
and an organizational structure. These
organizations must run like a busi-
ness—satisfying stakeholders with a
great product, providing value for
shareholders, and maintaining finan-
cial sustainability. For the purpose of
this article, I will be speaking globally
about foster care as a social cause.
Individual agencies and advocacy
groups should apply these points as
they relate to their specific situation
and moment in time.
Best Practices In Rebuilding
Brands
Most businesses have plans and
resources to protect and, when neces-
sary, rebuild their brand. They have
marketing and communications spe-
cialists and budgets for advertising
and public relations. The standard is
that 20–30% of the annual budget is
set aside specifically for brand protec-
tion through marketing, public rela-
tions, and other communications.
Additionally, most businesses have
operational and process improvement
mechanisms in place to ensure that
the highest value is returned to their
Newsletter of the Foster Family-based Treatment Association
FALL2014•Volume20/Number4
continued on pg. 2
1
An Image Problem
—by Hank Marotske, BSW, MBA
A on
Changing the Perception
of Foster Care
• An Image Problem
• I am Foster Care
• Foster Care in the Media
• Recruitment of Native American
Foster Families
• Scholarship Nominees and
Recipients
• Conference Exhibitors and
Sponsors
FOCUS

shareholders. On the whole, the private business sector
has adapted technology faster than have the healthcare,
government, and nonprofit sectors.
Many private companies have successfully revamped
their image. J.Crew found innovative products, Burberry
went from a “thug” brand to one of the hottest designer
labels, Harley-Davidson weeded out manufacturing ineffi-
ciencies to create high-
performing products,
McDonald’s paid atten-
tion to what the public
was saying and responded
with products and servic-
es that countered public
perception, Target over-
came its low-brow image
by selling high-quality
products at low prices,
Walmart rebranded by
putting a positive spin on
its public reputation, Old
Spice used creative ads and smart social media to produce
a fresh identity, Apple developed creative products that
were well made and beautifully packaged, and UPS lever-
aged forward-looking slogans to change public percep-
tion. In short, rebranding a tarnished image, though chal-
lenging, is possible. But it takes more than a new logo and
mission statement. The following strategies are crucial:
1. Listen to public perception—perception is reality.
2. Leverage social media and creative communications—
make your message viral.
3. Develop innovative products—what was great yester-
day won’t work tomorrow.
4. Provide great products at great prices—stakeholders
want value.
I would challenge those working in foster care to incor-
porate these tactics in their strategic plans and everyday
operations. Our leaders can make a significant impact on
the public’s perception of our cause by keeping these four
points on the top of their minds and embedded through-
out their organizational culture.
Telling Your Story—Listen, Reflect, Respond
We are at a moment where smart, innovative nonprofits
can leverage technology to create awareness and value pre-
viously reserved for those with multimillion-dollar budgets.
Technology has removed cost barriers by creating free and
low-cost distribution channels. Have a great story and
I don’t believe I’ve ever been in a meeting discussing
foster care that didn’t reference a shortage of foster
homes. If there is anyone sitting in meetings talking about
their abundance of foster homes, I’d love to schedule an
immediate visit to learn what they are doing right. As
director of a Treatment Foster Care program, I get calls
daily for placement of youth that I don’t have homes for,
and if there’s one thing I’ve learned about how to help
higher needs youth be successful, it’s to match them with
the right family. Unfortunately, the lack of abundant
homes pushes the placing process to resemble a game of
musical chairs rather than a perusal of the parent store
for each child in need.
In the time I’ve spent focusing on recruitment, I come
back to the same barrier over and over—we have an
image problem. Aside from National Foster Care Month
in May and National Adoption Month in November, our
press isn’t good. The stories that make the news are ones
of placement gone wrong; the horror stories that people
watch at five o’clock too often present foster children as
dangerous and foster parents as money-grubbing child
hoarders, or worse. And agencies, both private and pub-
lic, are portrayed as having no regard for the safety of
children, but just pumping them through the system to
make a buck. And that’s if people hear anything about
foster care at all. The idea of youth being in need of
homes, and the everyday stories of the loving people who
open their family to include those not related by blood,
aren’t part of the national dialogue. Most people who
aren’t directly working with this population pass through
their days without it occurring to them that statistically in
the United States, you’re unlikely to be more than 10
square miles away from a youth in foster care (https://
www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/foster.pdf#page=1
&view=Key Findings). With this type of publicity it’s no
wonder our current foster parents and social workers
aren’t bragging at parties, and youth are doing everything
possible to avoid being “outed” as a dependent.
I have a dream, a hope, a vision of the future where
foster care comes out of the proverbial closet. A time
when average people, not just the social workers of the
world, are aware of the number of youth in need in their
own community and feel a sense of shared responsibility
continued on pg. 3continued on pg. 3
GUEST EDITOR’S COLUMN
I Am Foster Care
— by Shelby Howard, MFT
An Image Problem | continued from pg. 1
We are at a moment
where smart, innovative
nonprofits can leverage
technology to create
awareness and value
previously reserved for
those with multimillion-
dollar budgets.
2

watch it go viral, reaching more people for just a
fraction of the cost of traditional advertising. The
20–30% budgeting rule no longer applies.
The first step is to cultivate an internal awareness
of public perception and public expectations to build
a story. We know the public perception is one of
delinquent youth, money-grubbing parents, and con-
tinued abuse and neglect, all associated with a child
welfare system widely perceived as broken. By taking
control and showcasing desired services, expertise,
current research, and best practices, foster care agen-
cies and advocacy groups can tell their stories and
gain more command of public perception than
they’ve had.
In today’s world a static message gets lost. Private
agencies and advocacy groups need to tell stories of
real people and real events that highlight the best of
what foster care has to offer communities. Research,
analysis, and real outcomes should be shared—let
the numbers tell the story. Consistent practices will
eventually attract better mainstream media attention,
which will overshadow the racy headlines.
Create an intellectual and emotional connection to
the cause through the sharing of intellectual capital,
thought leadership, and heart-warming stories.
Credibility and influence over stakeholders and
shareholders are enhanced through engaging fea-
tures and thought-provoking white papers and
research.
Finally, it’s okay to not have original content all
the time. As a network grows, it’s common to share
or re-blog related content. The key is to include a
small narrative or response as it relates to your cause.
Doing this is significantly less work than creating
original content, plus you’ll have a wider audience as
you share with the originator’s audience as well.
Leveraging Technology
The second step toward revamping our image is to
leverage technology. As a whole, the nonprofit
world has been slower to adapt and leverage tech-
nology to its fullest potential. A lot of inexpensive or
free communication and business efficiency tools are
available. Those organizations that have adapted
quickly have a better presence in their community,
enjoy increased engagement from stakeholders and
shareholders, and are bringing innovative services
Guest Editor’s Column | continued from pg. 2
for those youth. A time when the options for how to grow
your family expand beyond natural pregnancy, artificial insemi-
nation, and the now trendy foreign adoption to include foster
parenting and adoption from foster care. A time when people
don’t look at me funny when I tell them what I do and lower
their voice a bit to ask, “So, who’s becoming a foster parent?”
And since I’m out there hoping, I’ll add the hope for a time
when people don’t think of birth parents as terrible abusers
but, instead, can empathize with people who are struggling in
life, who didn’t get their own needs met as youths, and who
don’t have the skills or support to care for their children, even
though they may love those children dearly.
I see things happening that excite me, things that seem like
steps along the path to this future vision. All across the coun-
try, states and counties are adopting the Quality Parenting
Initiative, which holds as a core principle the “rebranding” of
foster parents into an identity that conveys an elevated status
of parenting and elicits a sense of pride. California is launching
a Resource Family Approval process that aligns standards for
placement from extended families to strangers with the hope
of setting up all placements for success as well as quickening
the path to permanency. And some have taken steps to pro-
mote awareness of this often voiceless segment of the popula-
tion on the silver screen in the movie Short Term 12 and the
documentary From Place to Place (http://shortterm12.com;
http://fromplacetoplacemovie.com/). Of course, there’s still
much to do.
To truly change the image of foster care on a national level,
I believe it will take stronger partnership among all those who
serve this population and everyone who has ever been
touched by it. A setting aside of any sense of competition
for scarce resources and an alliance based on common goals:
to ensure that all children grow up in a loving family and
that all families have the support they need to succeed.
A metaphorical holding of hands and pooling of resources
between public and private entities that serve juvenile depend-
ents, the parents who have opened their hearts and homes,
and all those who were ever in foster care themselves. A col-
lective voice that rings with pride and conviction so all may
understand both the need and the gift that are encompassed
in this cause. I want to hear it on network television Public
Service Announcements and in casual conversations between
friends, family, and colleagues. I hope we can all stand up
together and proudly declare “I am foster care.”
Shelby Howard, MFT, is Director, Intensive Treatment Foster Care, at Seneca
Family of Agencies in Oakland, California. She serves on the FFTA Editorial
Committee.
continued on pg. 4
3

and products that foundations and funders desire. In an era of
competition for every dollar, shareholders want the most value
possible out of their community investment. Transparency and
outcomes have become critical for nonprofits to negotiate sus-
tainable rates and to win funding from foundations and indi-
vidual donors.
Almost every organization these days has a Web presence.
The first thing any entrepreneur does is set up a website, and
the first place most people go for information is the Internet.
There are free or low-cost options that should be attainable
even with the smallest budget. Once up, a website needs to be
a living and breathing entity. Content should be easily
accessed, intuitive to navigate, and updated frequently. Finally,
your website should engage with other free social media plat-
forms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and the like to
expand your organization’s reach.
Not so long ago, to have a commercial
or video representation of a cause would
cost tens of thousands of dollars. Now
any organization can create and upload
to YouTube a 30-second video clip rep-
resenting its cause and its thought lead-
ership. Some of the most viral videos are
creative, have a great message, and are
simple. These videos can then be con-
nected to a website to provide an engag-
ing experience for shareholders and stakeholders. Currently
the use of YouTube videos in foster care includes adoption
clips, events, interviews, documentaries, testimonials, and
research lectures.
Blogging is another way to get our cause’s story out.
Through a series of ongoing narratives, we can share success
stories, research, best practices, and other thought-provoking
or inspiring pieces. Blogs are perfect because they are short
and concise, carrying a one-point message. Blogs also can give
community members an opportunity to respond in a com-
ments section. Here is where your organization can have an
ongoing conversation with stakeholders and shareholders.
The vehicle to share a story doesn’t end at the website,
blog, or YouTube video. To gain true momentum or “go viral”
takes time and consistency. It’s difficult to predict what might
capture the emotion of a community. Having different chan-
nels that feed into each other is important for reaching a wider
audience, but understand the medium and audience of each.
LinkedIn should showcase your organization or cause and
attract talent through personal profiles and an organization
page. Twitter is an information-sharing medium where videos
and blogs can be circulated and linked to a website. Facebook
should be leveraged as a mini website with basic information
for community engagement.
Once these communication mechanisms are in place, it’s
imperative to have an ongoing strategy around maintaining
them. It’s not enough to just have a Facebook page or Twitter
account. Social media are just that—social. Imagine going to a
boring lecture or walking past a lecturer on the street.
Chances are your engagement and retention will be minimal.
Virtual audiences are best leveraged when engaged, when con-
tent is fresh and visually appealing. Engagement is the key to
the success of any marketing plan, including social media.
Create conversations and reply to other content. When your
audience members feel connected, they are more likely to
share with their network, expanding your reach. Treat social
media like being at a cocktail party or professional networking
event—it’s not enough to just show up
and stand in the corner. We need to be
present, we need to share our thoughts
and ideas and listen to what others are
saying as well. It needs to be a two-
way virtual conversation.
Leveraging these various social
media platforms while having a clear
and strategic communications plan will
give your organization free advertising,
awareness, and, most importantly, con-
trol over your message. Foster care has traditionally been driv-
en by mainstream media outlet portrayals; advocates, stake-
holders, and shareholders can start to take control of that pub-
lic image and redefine how foster care is perceived by and
invested in by communities.
Process Improvements And Product Innovation
Public perception connects foster care to a broken and inef-
ficient child welfare system. In fact, most agencies run
extremely lean and efficient. Knowing your costs, understand-
ing business efficiencies, and delivering value to shareholders
will be increasingly important. Technology can provide
insight and transparency to business processes. Additionally,
it’s been demonstrated that tracking and measuring outcomes
build value and desirability from payers. I know of more than
one organization that has negotiated higher rates as a result of
knowing and being transparent with their cost structure.
Technology has also started to fuel value-based innovation
in service delivery and service products. Mobile applications
for mental health, virtual accessibility to care, telehealth,
mobile records, family connectivity, case management, and
the like have all created a unique and engaging environment
4
continued on pg. 5

5
for service providers. Organizations
that leverage these tools will have
an advantage for years to come.
Stakeholders will be more engaged
while shareholders receive greater value.
A Better Foster Care
The result is a cause that continues to
captivate our communities’ hearts, that
recruits the best social workers, non-
profit leadership, foster parents, and
volunteers, and that produces increased philanthropy. As a
result of a strong push of stories and messaging preferred by
advocates of foster care, traditional news outlets won’t be able
to ignore foster care. The 100-million-dollar campaign to
create awareness of ALS through a series of 10-second videos
is a prime example of a communications plan gone viral and a
new brand created.
Individual contributors comprise over 70% of development
and fund-raising revenue. Over 70% of those contributors are
on Facebook, 80% use YouTube, and 55% are on LinkedIn.
The most impactful and least expensive avenue to reach
today’s digital community is through
these mediums. Every organization
should have at least one person manag-
ing these outlets under the direction of a
communications strategy supported by
executive and board leadership.
Policies, guidelines, and daily moni-
toring are critical. Something negative
will eventually be shared, and even
though the Internet never forgets,
the beauty is that negativity can be
drowned in a flood of positive and strategically implemented
communications.
Let’s change the public perception of foster care by having
a louder voice than the naysayers. Own a story, share it, and
leverage technology for innovative ways to serve stakeholders
and create value for shareholders. Let’s be the toast of the
cocktail party or virtual networking event.
Hank Marotske, BSW, MBA, is the Director of Corporate Communications and
Development at PATH Administrative Services, located in Fargo, North Dakota.
He serves on the FFTA Editorial Committee.

6
continued on pg. 7
Editor’s Note:
Advocates for Families First is a collabora-
tion of the North American Council on
Adoptable Children, the National Foster
Parent Association, and Generations United
that is dedicated to the vision that all children
and youth receive supported care in a kinship,
foster, or adoptive family when they cannot
remain safely at home. Children, youth and
families in kinship care, foster care, and
adoption have many of the same needs and
challenges. This common ground brings these
organizations together and strengthens their
collective efforts. The organization’s mission
is to build a unified national movement in
support of kinship, foster, and adoptive
families who care for children and youth.
For more information, visit www.advocates
forfamiliesfirst.org.
The group engaged the Communications
Consortium Media Center (CCMC) to ana-
lyze media coverage and images of foster,
adoptive, kin and grand families touched by
child welfare systems. CCMC prepared a
report entitled, “Improving Images, Cultivating
Coverage, Reframing Conversations Around
Foster, Adoptive, Kinship and Grand
Families.” The report summarizes the findings
from the media scan and research and pres-
ents recommendations to reverse the negative
stereotyping in the media that is affecting
public attitudes through a multi-faceted and
coordinated campaign. Here, FFTA provides
some key information and recommendations
from the report that TFC programs can
consider in their own strategies to change
public perception about foster, adoptive, and
kinship care. The full report can be down-
loaded at http://advocatesforfamiliesfirst.
files.wordpress.com/2014/07/advocates-for-
families-first-final-report-as-of-7-21-14.pdf.
Foster Care in the Media
A Summary: Less than half of Americans know, understand or have been
touched by the child welfare system. The default perception of foster care is pro-
foundly negative. This negative perception has far reaching consequences in the
daily lives of children who reside in foster care. Unfairly stereotyping these chil-
dren can dissuade normal and loving families from becoming foster families.
Few American families have a direct relationship with child welfare institutions.
Due to this fact, the general perception of the foster care system is based on por-
trayals in television and film as well as through news media stories. Over time,
society has developed a default perception of foster care that is highly negative.
Default perceptions are very difficult to overcome because negative ideas are
easily reinforced. On the other hand, default frames are not so easily challenged.
For example, myth vs. fact articles can actually reinforce the negative ideas that
the uninformed already possess. It is only through constant and consistent effort
that negative perceptions can be successfully challenged.
A scan of the top ten newspapers: A total of 115 stories published by
the top ten American newspapers (based on circulation) were reviewed and cate-
gorized as “positive” “negative” “mixed” and “neutral.”
Positive: 30 articles, these tended to be “personal interest” narrative stories
Negative: 35 articles, these stories focused on child deaths due to a
“broken system” or “bad foster parenting”
Mixed: 30 articles, in many of these articles there were positive portrayals
of foster parents alongside negative portrayals of the foster care system
Neutral: 20 articles were judged to be neutral
Wire Services: CCMC reviewed 28 articles from Associated Press, Reuters,
Bloomberg, and McClatchy News Service, all wire services with national reach.
Which Stories Get Coverage:
• Most stories were event-driven, involving either a court case or a case of child
abuse or death.
• A majority of the articles focused on an individual foster care situation and did
not cover systematic problems or solutions.
• Nearly all the articles were neutral and favored neither a positive nor negative
view of foster care.
• People quoted were usually court officials (judges and lawyers) and government
officials. In only a few articles were other expert or advocacy groups quoted.
• About 3/4 of the articles simply detailed the facts of a case.
• Roughly 1/4 of the articles contained some references to the foster care system,
but nothing very detailed.
—by Alexandra Koscielny

7
National Network News: On the five broadcast news networks
(ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX and NBC) 65 relevant stories were found.
National News Network Scan:
- 30 Positive Stories –11 featured non-profit organizations,
9 told the stories of foster children as they grew up in care
or were adopted, 6 featured foster parents, 2 gave updates
on pending legislation, 2 advertized events held for children.
- 19 Negative – 6 directed at “the foster care system,”
7 featured abuse or neglect and 4 were about child deaths.
- CCMC also found 10 Mixed Stories and 6 Neutral Stories
National Public Radio (NPR): NPR stories featured foster care
or adoption 20 times in 2013. Four were judged to be negative,
nine were neutral and seven were positive. Consistently, negative
and neutral stories covered the foster care system itself, notably
commenting on the lack of available resources related to the large
population being served. Positive features, on the other hand,
always highlighted individual success stories.
OVERVIEW:
How is Foster Care doing in News Media?:
Notable trends showing what topics get coverage emerged through
this media scan. Personal stories detailing individual journeys account
for the majority of positive articles and features in the media. Tragic
stories of child abuse, neglect and death make up the majority of the
negative articles found. The image of “the foster care system” suffers
throughout these articles. Personal success stories tended to highlight
important or heroic individuals without drawing positive attention to
the system as a whole. Neutral accounts of the foster care system tend-
ed to gain ground when linked with other social issues as they gained
national attention. Many articles concerning civil rights of LGBT
families, for example, have made the connection to foster care and
the rights of LGBT parents to serve as foster families.
How this understanding highlights what can be done:
Storytelling that highlights positive individual experiences is an
excellent tool for promoting the foster care system. However, these
positive stories need to draw attention to the broader issues at hand.
Success stories should highlight how “the system” worked well for an
individual or family.
Another important revelation of the media scan shows that foster
care gains media attention when linked with social issues which are get-
ting media attention already. Understanding where these links can be
made is a valuable tool for promoting the positive image of foster care.
Myth: Once I take in a foster child,
I’m on my own without any help.
Reality: Children need stability
and agency staff offer foster par-
ents plenty of support to maintain
an even keel. For starters, before
you even take in your first child,
the agency staff works with you to
develop a profile of the type of
child best suited to the experience
and capabilities of your family.
There is respite care for those times
you need a break.1
Foster Care in the Media
| continued from pg. 6
continued on pg. 8
Foster Care and Adoption
MYTH BUSTERS
In your work to recruit foster and
adoptive families you have probably
learned that many people are misin-
formed about foster care. Your fos-
ter and adoptive parents will likely
meet people along the way who do
not understand what they do or
why they do it. The reality is that
there are many common myths
about foster care and adoption that
we have to dispel with facts. Here
we share some helpful responses, or
“myth busters,” that your agency
can use in its messaging. Also, share
these responses with your foster
and adoptive parents so they can
also squelch those myths and edu-
cate the community with facts.
1
http://thechildrenarewaiting.org/fostercare/myths/

8
Television and Film:
CCMC documents a slow but positive shift in the portrayal of foster care especial-
ly in television. Older shows such as Law and Order: SVU and Criminal Minds fea-
ture extremely negative and sensationalized views of foster care. Recently, how-
ever, positive storylines featuring foster care have made an appearance in
nationally recognized shows. Most notably, The Fosters premiered on The
ABC Family Network recently. The series portrays the life of a foster family
and highlights the noble intentions of the foster parents. The series also com-
ments on the ineffectiveness and danger of the foster care system itself. The
image of foster care still has a long way to go in television before it can be
considered positive or even neutral. However, these new trends represent a step
away from the sensationalized, negative, and primarily crime-driven portrayals of foster
care and instead have begun to represent foster care in an uplifting light: challenging but normal nonetheless.
Social Media:
The CCMC found a large presence on social media from advocacy groups, service providers and parent organiza-
tions. Therefore the content is generally very positive. CCMC highlights the opportunity that social media presents
to initiate two-way conversations. Service providers, such as social workers and child welfare organization leaders,
have the opportunity to present important information and resources. At the same time, alumni of foster care have the
opportunity to share their personal experiences within the foster care system. YouTube has proven to be an extremely
valuable resource in the foster care community as a tool to share tips and guides as well as personal testimonies.
What Next:
The most successful messages speak to existing core values. Powerful American values that should be incorporated
in our messaging include: fairness, family, community and helping people help themselves—values that should be
expressed in terms of safety, education and training.
After framing the message of foster care in an effective way, the most important step for improving the image of
foster care and countering negative stereotypes, which hurt vulnerable children and youth, is to add positive voices
to the conversation.
This is where agencies that work
every day to improve the lives of
youth in foster care can help. Those
involved directly in foster care can
share their personal stories in order to
contribute to the conversation. Those
who write, blog, and share on social
media and print media should be on
the lookout for ways to connect foster
care to other social or political stories
and causes that are already on people’s
minds. As long as the default percep-
tion of foster care remains negative,
informed professionals must continu-
ously work to reframe the conversa-
tion to negate harmful stereotypes.
Alexandra Koscielny is the Administrative
Coordinator at FFTA.
12th Annual
Public Policy Institute &
Advocacy Day
May 4-5, 2015
Washington, DC
Mark Your Calendar...
For more information,
contact the FFTA office at
(800) 414-3382, ext. 113
or mdevlin@ffta.org
Foster Family-based Treatment Association
Foster Care in the Media | continued from pg. 7

9
Differences in culture can
often lead to misunderstand-
ings and misperceptions.
This miscomprehension,
coupled with the gen-
erally negative image
of foster care,
can create even
greater challenges
to service provi-
sion in Native
American com-
munities. In
1978, I began
working as a
foster care social
worker on a
Native American
reservation. A num-
ber of distinct cultural
factors soon became
evident: A disproportion-
ate number of Native
American children were placed
in foster care within the state;
these children tended to remain in
foster care for longer periods than other
children; these children tended to experience
multiple and, at times, more restrictive placements;
and finally, there were not enough Native American
foster homes available for these children.
Throughout the years of my work in child welfare
and mental health, the wealth of statistics supporting
these observations has been increasing, coupled with
the frustration that over time, little has changed to rem-
edy or improve these realities. Even with the enactment
of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, in 16 states
85% of Native American children placed in foster care
are placed in non–Native American homes. Native
American children are 1.6 times more likely to be
placed in foster care, 2 times more likely to remain in
foster care over 2 years, less likely to be adopted, and
less likely to be returned to their parents.
Child welfare professionals know the placement of a
child outside her or his home involves the placement
of a child in a new and different family culture. This
disruption is intensified when the placement also involves
movement from a home within the Native American
community to one that is non–Native American.
There is a strong need for Native American foster fami-
lies to provide these foster youths with a sense of com-
munity and continuity of culture.
In discussing how to recruit Native American families
to provide foster care, let me first state the need to
appreciate the diversity of the Native American popula-
tion. There are 5.2 million Native American people in
the United States, 325 federally recognized Native
American reservations, and 566 federally recognized
Native American tribes. However, what the federal gov-
ernment recognizes and what actually exists are two dif-
ferent things. I would suggest the numbers are higher in
all these classifications.
In speaking of the recruitment of Native American
homes and the utilization of community, it is important
to recognize that a large population of Native American
people live in communities outside the reservation.
Thus, the term community applies to Native American
people living on a reservation or in locations outside
the reservation’s boundaries.
Recruitment must be multifaceted and must address
the unsettling realities that Native American children
face in foster care.
Learning from the community is critical. For profes-
sionals, it is extremely important that recruitment utilize
community members and that the agency doing the
recruitment be a part of the community. Whether you
are a member of the community or are from outside the
community, respect for the culture and heritage are
absolutely essential.
In realizing the diversity of the tribes, it is imperative
for any individual or agency wishing to recruit foster
homes to learn about the community and that commu-
nity’s culture. Child welfare professionals working with
Native American communities should take the follow-
ing steps:
• Learn the history of the tribe and community.
• Learn the traditions, values, and beliefs of the tribe
and community.
• Learn the current structures within the community,
such as tribal government, child welfare practices,
and parenting and family practices.
• Get to know the elders within the community.
Whether you are a member of the community or
are from outside the community, respect for the
culture and heritage are absolutely essential.
continued on pg. 10
Recruitment
ofNative
American
Foster
Families
—by Dale Twedt,
LICSW, LMFT

continued on pg. 11
10
• Learn about the formal and informal resources within the community
and how they are used and relate to one another.
• Discover what prior experiences, both positive and negative, communi-
ty members have had with outside resources.
Beyond developing a cultural knowl-
edge of the community, it is impera-
tive for professionals to take the time
to form solid relationships. Forming
relationships within the community is
extremely important because it is here
that you discover strengths and
resources that are already available. It
is a great help to work with the estab-
lished resources from a position of
trust and respect rather than working in ways that may involve swimming
upstream. Patience and time are critical elements in this process. It is essen-
tial to learn from people and take the time to learn from the community.
Further, it is essential for foster care professionals to demonstrate their
knowledge about and respect for the community when they take action
within the community.
It is important for professionals to be perceived as a part of the communi-
ty, as people working to partner with the community for the advancement
of child welfare. Instead, foster care professionals are often perceived as
trying to “sell a product” to the community. Relationships are fluid and ever
changing. The respectful maintenance of relationships is critical and cannot
be overlooked or simplified.
Professionals must work hand-in-hand with the community. Professionals
must identify what groups they can work with to form partnerships in
recruitment. These groups may include faith-based groups, elders, tribal lead-
ers, tribal child welfare agencies, and community groups and organizations.
What educational information can be provided to the community through
which venues? Professionals should consider the following questions:
• Is the educational material culturally appropriate?
• How does foster care match the values of the community?
• Are there beliefs in the community about foster care that are not true?
• How can you best address these beliefs?
• Which groups and agencies can you meet with?
• Are there community members you can ask to provide information?
With the relationships you have formed, develop goals and plans for
recruitment:
• What has worked within the community in the recruitment of families,
and can you do more of that?
• Are there informal processes or resources that can be accessed?
• Have people used extended family members as foster parent resources?
Forming relationships
within the community is
extremely important because
it is here that you discover
strengths and resources that
are already available.
RecruitmentofNativeAmericanFosterFamilies
| continued from pg. 9
Myth: I can’t be a foster parent
because I will get too attached.
It would be too hard to see
them leave.
Reality: It’s true — you will get
attached, and it will be painful
when children you love leave.
But these children have suffered
through things no child should
ever face and they need the love
and care foster parents provide
when they open their hearts and
homes.2
Myth: I would have to provide
medical insurance for a foster
child in my home.
Reality: Foster parents do not
pay any of a child’s medical
expenses, other than over-the-
counter medicines and supplies.
Each child in foster care is cov-
ered by the governing jurisdiction
for their medical, dental, and
mental health care needs.3
Myth: There’s too much red tape
and bureaucracy involved in
adopting a child from foster care.
Reality: Congress has stream-
lined the foster care adoption
process through enactment of the
Adoption and Safe Families Act
of 1997. This law stipulates that
children in foster care, who can-
not be reunited with their birth
parents, are freed for adoption
and placed with permanent
families as quickly as possible.4
MYTH BUSTERS
2
3
4
https://www.co.lucas.oh.us/index.aspx?NID=1810

• Are media resources available, and what are the best
ways to utilize those resources?
• Are there community events to participate in to
facilitate recruitment?
• Are there publications that can be developed and
made available?
• Where is the best place to make publications available?
• Are there current foster parents you can enlist to be
of assistance?
Shared goals are the most effective. Professionals must:
• continually review the plan and strategies employed;
• recognize steps taken by the community to achieve
the goals;
• ensure that tribal leadership continues to support
and promote the recruitment goals;
• find ways to continually improve agency connections
by requesting participation and including the tribe on
agency boards and committees; and
• keep the original troubling statistics in the forefront,
measuring progress in addressing disproportionate child
welfare statistics relative to placement, length of stay,
and levels of care in the community.
Recruitment must become entwined with training, educa-
tion, capacity building, and retention of quality resources.
Retention of current foster care resources is another critical
factor. The professionals working in child welfare and in
mental health must be supportive in terms of responsiveness,
education, training, respite, and so on for all current foster
parents. These foster parents are valuable resources for the
children in care and for the families of these children.
Their experiences as foster care
providers are also huge assets in the recruitment
of new foster homes. Current foster parents can address many
myths surrounding Treatment Foster Care, alleviate people’s
fears about the provision of Treatment Foster Care, provide
information that promotes the provision of care to children
within their own community and culture, and excite people
about the opportunity to serve children. Treatment foster par-
ents are extremely valuable for speaking to friends, people in
their church, relatives, people in their community groups,
neighbors, and the like. It is up to professionals to enlist the
help of current foster parents and to provide them with the
information and resources to recruit families to our mission.
A multitude of resources are available on the Internet
regarding foster family recruitment and recruitment of Native
American foster families. CWLA (Child Welfare League of
America), private agencies, state agencies, and Native
American tribes and agencies have many resources available
on the Internet. You can also access resources through direct
contact with these agencies.
In summary, the image of foster care providers within
Native American communities can be improved daily by
developing strategies to work with these communities and by
implementing constructive avenues of communication.
Dale Twedt, LICSW, LMFT, is the Chief Operating Officer at PATH, Inc.,
located in Fargo, North Dakota.
RecruitmentofNativeAmericanFosterFamilies | continued from pg. 10
11
Interested in sharing your ideas with an
informed and active professional community?
Publish in an upcoming edition of FOCUS.
The spring issue will cover Trauma Informed
Care (article deadline is February 25, 2015).
The summer issue will feature Special Populations
(article deadline is May 22, 2015). If you are
interested in submitting an article on any of
these topics, please email akoscielny@ffta.org.
Retention of current foster care resources is
another critical factor.

EDAELEHT
In M
HCSYCAGELPIHSRE
armMemory of Ed F
PIHSRALOH
mer
Congratulations to the 2014
Scholarship Recipients
Please join us in congratulating the following foster parent recipients
of this year’s Leadership Legacy Scholarship:
Claudia Thomason, Arizona (Sequelcare of Arizona)
Jeanette Sailor, Florida (Boys Town North Florida)
Donna & James Stull, West Virginia (National Youth Advocate Program)
Veronica Beckett, Delaware (Pressley Ridge)
Alice Wortham, Ohio (SAFY)
LaShawn Jefferson, Ohio (The Village Network)
Kim & Larry Warren, Maine (Woodfords Family Services)
Sean & Racquel Harrison, Maryland (Sheridan Patterson Center-Holistic Family Services)
The FFTA North Carolina and the FFTA Virginia Chapter awarded scholarships to the following recipients:
Wanda & Derek Porter, Virginia (First Home Care)
Mary Smith, North Carolina (Alexander Youth Network)
We recognize the following nominees and all treatment foster parents around the world who are committed
to providing safe, stable, and loving homes for children and youth in treatment foster care:
Romania Whitehurst, Virginia (United Methodist Family Services)
Nikki Sanders, Florida (National Youth Advocate Program)
James and Kimberly Shuler, Maryland (The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region)
Susan & Albert Rudnik, Georgia (Devereux Specialty Foster Care)
The Scholarship Fund covers conference registration, hotel and transportation costs to the FFTA
conference. While each agency may not be able to send a foster parent to the FFTA Conference,
collectively we can send a few. To make a tax-deductible donation to the 2015 Fund, contact the
FFTA office by email ffta@ffta.org or by telephone (800) 414-3382 or mail your donation to
FFTA, 294 Union Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601.
12

13
continued on pg. 14
2014 Annual
Conference
SPONSORS & EXHIBITORS
AK Child & Family brings hope to troubled young lives through
a broad range of mental health services. Our residential psychi-
atric treatment, community based programs and treatment foster
homes offer the structure, care and expertise to help young peo-
ple facing significant challenges build strong, positive, healthy
lives. To learn more, visit us on the web at www.akchild.org.
Aldea Children & Family Services provides mental health, treat-
ment foster care and adoption, and support services that empower
people to achieve emotional wellness. Serving six Northern
California counties, Aldea has demonstrated leadership through
its implementation of the 3-5-7 Model and CANS assessment,
certification as a CANS trainer, service on the FFTA board, and
spear-heading of the effort to establish a California chapter of
FFTA. To learn more, visit www.aldeainc.org or contact Program
Director Joe Lopez at (707) 557- 4560 or jlopez@aldeainc.org.
Alternative Family Services, for more information, call
(510) 839-3800 or visit www.afs4kids.org.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation is a private philanthropy that
creates a brighter future for the nation’s children by developing
solutions to strengthen families, build paths to economic oppor-
tunity and transform struggling communities into safer and
healthier places to live, work and grow. The Foundation’s pri-
mary mission is to foster public policies, human-service reforms
and community supports that more effectively meet the needs
of today’s vulnerable children and families. For media inquiries
contact Sue Lin Chong, Senior Communications Manager,
media@aecf.org, (410) 223-2836.
ASIware is dedicated to providing web-based data management
software for social service organizations. Manage, monitor, and
report vital information for clients for In-Home Services,
Residential Programs, and Foster Care. Easily obtain client his-
tory, incident records, case notes, and other details. Built-In
reports and the measurement of outcomes are just a click away.
Please go to www.asi-ware.com for additional information.
ASIware can be contacted directly at (937) 845-1076, with
questions or to schedule an online presentation of our software.
Back Office for Social Services, for more information, call
(512) 351-7976 or visit www.boss-inc.biz.
The Bair Foundation is a national organization that has success-
fully cared for and treated children, teens and families for over
47 years. With 31 offices in 9 states (PA, OH, NM, NC, SC,
VA, KY, TX, and OK), Bair offers a myriad of community based
services which include Structured Intervention Treatment Foster
Care, Traditional Foster Care, Adoption Services, Kinship Care,
Medically-Needy Foster Care, B.E.S.T. Program, Clinical and
Intensive In-Home and Family Services and Intensive
Alternative Family Treatment. The Bair Foundation is accredited
by COA and is a member of the Alliance for Children and
Families, Christian Alliance for Orphans, and Foster Family-
Based Treatment Association. For more information visit us at
www.bair.org.
Camelot Community Care, for more information, call
(727) 593-0003 or visit www.camelotcommunitycare.org.
CARF International is an independent, nonprofit accreditor of
human service providers and networks since 1966. More than
6,700 organizations on 5 continents have earned accreditation
for nearly 50,000 programs. Nearly 9,200 of these programs
serve youth. We invite you to learn how accreditation can help
your organization by visiting www.carf.org or contacting us at
(888) 281-6531 or cys@carf.org.
Cenpatico, for more information, call (512) 406-7200 or visit
www.cenpatico.com.
Centers for Youth & Families builds healthy children, families
and communities by providing specialized prevention, interven-
tion and treatment services that promote emotional and social
wellness for children and families of Arkansas. We meet this
mission through services provided at our prevention services,
residential care facilities, youth emergency shelter, therapeutic
foster care, school-based and outpatient counseling and day
treatment programs. For more information about Centers con-
tact us at (888) 868-0023 or visit us online at www.cfyf.org.
The following organizations sponsored and/or exhibited at the FFTA 28th Annual Conference
on Treatment Foster Care. Please read more about the product and service solutions designed for your agency.

14
continued on pg. 15
Centerstone is the nation’s largest Community Mental and
Behavioral Health organization with footprints in Tennessee,
Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois and soon Georgia. The service of ther-
apeutic foster care includes over 100 therapeutic foster homes,
adoption services, and in-home services. Using a performance
based outcome model, children and youth are either reunited
with their families or kin or adopted depending on the permanent
plan. Centerstone’s TFC program also focuses on integrating
behavioral/mental health with well-being outcomes including
physical, educational and social. Well-being is joined with safety
and permanence to define the outcomes within the program. For
more information visit us online at www.centerstone.org.
ChronoSolutions Technology Consulting, for more informa-
tion, contact ben.fink@chronosolutions.net.
The Children’s Guild Family Life Education (TFC) provides
trauma informed interventions to children and youth experienc-
ing complex trauma and other behavioral issues that have result-
ed in traditional foster homes and, often, residential settings
being unable to successfully serve them. Our mission is to
provide youth the values and life skills necessary for a successful
life – one of caring, contribution and commitment. For
more information about The Children’s Guild, please visit
www.childrensguild.org or call (410) 444-3800, extension 1158.
The Council on Accreditation (COA) is an independent, non-
profit accreditor of human services. COA accreditation is an
objective and reliable verification that organizations qualify for
the support of their stakeholders. COA accredits over 45 differ-
ent service areas that apply to over 125 types of programs, and
is currently in the process of accrediting over 2,200 organiza-
tions or programs that serve more than 7 million individuals and
families internationally. COA has separate standards editions for
private organizations, public agencies, Canadian organizations,
military programs, international adoption programs, and child &
youth development programs. For more information visit us
online at www.coanet.org.
Creative Community Services, Inc. improves the quality of life
for children, teens and adults with developmental disabilities
and mental health needs by providing direct services and com-
munity based support throughout the state of Georgia. Our
programs include therapeutic foster care, in home services
for individuals with developmental disabilities, services for
children and adults with a dual diagnosis of dd and severe
behavioral issues, services for pregnant and parenting teens,
life coaching and transitioning services for youth in foster care,
planned respite, emergency respite, crisis respite and adventure
respite. For more information visit us at www.ccsgeorgia.org.
2014 Annual Conference Sponsors & Exhibitors | continued from pg 13

15
Devereux provides a continuum of care for children, adolescents
and adults faced with intellectual and developmental disabilities,
autism spectrum disorders and mental health challenges. Services
include therapeutic foster care, psychiatric hospitals, residential
and day treatment programs, community-based group homes,
respite care programs, supervised apartments, foster care homes,
special education day schools, and vocational and pre-vocational
training. For more information, visit www.devereux.org.
The Diana Screen®
is a risk management screen that helps keep
children in foster care settings safe from sexual boundary viola-
tions and sexual abuse. Used to screen potential foster parents
and individuals who will come into contact with children, The
Diana Screen®
provides an added layer of protection for the
children you place, and for your agency. To learn more, visit us
on the web at www.dianascreen.com.
Engage PEO, for more information, call (888) 780-8807 or visit
www.engagepeo.com.
Family Care Network, Inc. Publications: The LIFEBOOK is a
unique life skill building program providing a step-by-step guided
journey through seven areas of life with practical, achievable
activities under each step. The Therapeutic Parent is a compre-
hensive resource manual which includes information ranging from
becoming a therapeutic foster parent, understanding regulations
and risk management strategies, to meeting the needs and behav-
iors of a traumatized foster child. For product samples and links
to purchase, please visit www.fcni.org/books. For information
and bulk pricing, contact Alexandra Loucks at aloucks@fcni.org.
First Nonprofit Group is dedicated to serving the nonprofit com-
munity by facilitating their growth through innovate insurance
and financial services. We provide nonprofits and governmental
entities with safe, cost-saving alternatives to State Unemployment
Taxes (SUTA). Our programs eliminate SUTA’s shared cost
pooling to insure your organization only pays for its own claims
and not anyone else’s. Over 1,600 organizations representing all
sectors of the nonprofit community rely on us to manage their
unemployment needs. For more information, call (800) 526-4352
ext. 398394 or visit www.firstnonprofitgroup.com.
Foster Care Technologies uses cutting edge technologies and
research to improve placement stability and timely permanency
for foster children. ECAP is a web-based decision support tool
that helps foster care agencies improve their intake processes
and achieve better outcomes for the children in their care.
ECAP was studied and validated by researchers from the KU
School of Social Welfare, and it is continuously improved
through ongoing research projects at Foster Care Technologies.
Global Vision Technologies is the creator of FAMCare
CONNECT the rapid case management platform that helps
agencies get better results. Your time is your most important
asset. Being able to spend it with your most vulnerable clients
is critical to realizing the best outcomes possible. FAMCare
CONNECT was created with this in mind. With intuitive work-
flow, an easy to use interface and timely reporting, FAMCare
CONNECT is focused on helping you manage caseloads faster,
more efficiently and with less effort.
Grandfather Home for Children/Barium Springs, for more
information visit www.grandfatherhome.org.
Growing Home Southeast is a family service agency whose
mission is to enable at-risk children, youth, and families to real-
ize their potential and contribute to their community. This is
accomplished by offering an array of services in South Carolina
and southern Alabama that focus on identifying and building
upon clients’ strengths. Services offered include Treatment
Foster Care, Medically Fragile Foster Care, Regular Foster Care,
Home-based Services, Family Group Conferencing, Adoptions’
Recruitment, Supportive Housing, and Community-based
Prevention Services. To learn more about Growing Home
Southeast visit our website at www.growinghomese.com.
2014 Annual Conference
Sponsors & Exhibitors | continued from pg 14
Myth: Same-sex parents are not capable of
providing a healthy environment for an
adoptive child.
Reality: Practically every valid study to date
concludes children of same-sex parents adjust
well and grow up in positive environments
compared with heterosexual families.5
Myth: Children enter foster care because
they committed a crime.
Reality: This belief is held by 50 percent
of Americans, but actually, children enter
U.S. foster care through no fault of their
own. Usually, they are victims of neglect,
abandonment or abuse.6
MYTH BUSTERS
5
https://www.davethomasfoundation.org/
about-foster-care-adoption/myths-and-misconceptions/
6
https://www.davethomasfoundation.org/
about-foster-care-adoption/myths-and-misconceptions/
continued on pg. 16

16
KaleidaCare, based in Austin, Texas, is an endorsed software
partner of the FFTA, providing a web-based care management
and reporting software specific to the needs of Foster Care
agencies, and social service organizations. KaleidaCare is a
secure system that was built to save agencies time and money
by helping them accurately manage client data. We have been
supporting agencies for over 18 years, and currently serve over
130 customers within the United States and Canada. To learn
more, visit www.kaleidacare.com.
Kennedy Krieger's Therapeutic Foster Care Program provides
a continuum of family-based services to children and adoles-
cents with special needs who have experienced complex trauma
and have a history of, or are at risk for institutional placements.
Emphasis is placed on the relationship between parent and
child. Foster parents are trained to meet the emotional and
physical needs of each child. For more information, visit
www.therapeuticfostercare.org.
KVC Nebraska is a child welfare organization that provides both
foster care and intensive in-home services. The KVC Mission is to
enrich and enhance the lives of children and families by providing
medical and behavioral healthcare, social services and education.
KVC Nebraska recruits, trains, licenses and provides 24/7/365 sup-
port to foster families who are providing compassionate care for
children and adolescents throughout Nebraska. At KVC Nebraska,
we use clinician-guided treatment in our intensive in-home servic-
es, as well as, provide 24/7/365 crisis support to families. For more
information, visit www.nebraska.kvc.org.
Lauris Online, for more information, call (888) 922-3669 or
visit www.laurisonline.com.
The MENTOR Network is a national network of local health
and human services providers offering an array of quality, com-
munity-based services to adults and children with intellectual
and developmental disabilities, brain and spinal cord injuries
and other catastrophic injuries and illnesses, and to youth with
emotional, behavioral and medically complex challenges,
as well as their families. We create innovative programs and
implement systems that enable us to deliver quality services
and supports to the people we serve. For more information,
visit www.thementornetwork.com.
Netsmart provides solutions/services to help child and family
service organizations manage case, clinical and financial process-
es across programs as well as coordinate care and service delivery
within the community. This framework of solutions and services
is the Netsmart CareFabric™
. (www.whatiscarefabric.com). More
than 22,000 organizations nationwide use Netsmart solutions to
help improve the quality of life for children and families. For
information, visit www.ntst.com, call (800) 472-5509, email
info@ntst.com or follow us on Twitter.
Northwest Media, Inc. operates 3 unique and user-friendly
websites featuring research-based training materials.
FosterParentCollege.com offers 40+ online courses for care
giving parents, SocialLearning.com provides one-stop shopping
for training materials in books, DVDs, CDs, games,Vstreet.com
covers life skills training for youth emancipating from care. We
are currently introducing a new Blended Pre-Service Training
Curriculum for foster parents. This innovative program reduces
hours of in-person meetings while providing high standards of
Pre-Service parent training using online courses. For more infor-
mation, call (800) 777-6636 or email fpc@northwestmedia.com.
Omni Visions, a proud member of The Omni Family of
Services, is a multi-state placement agency that provides servic-
es for adults and children. Our desire to be the provider of
choice while upholding core corporate values inspires a focus on
family, providing each individual and each family a community
support system to facilitate and inspire growth and develop-
ment. More information about our programs can be found at
www.omnivisions.com or call (800) 851-6108.
PATH utilizes the “family” as the core therapeutic environment
for youth and all family members. We value partnering with
families and communities in developing services, treatment
planning, and evaluating service outcomes. Our commitment is
to safety, well-being and permanency for youth. We support
and advocate for the best connection for their family. We
continually assess the needs of those we serve. If reunification
is not or cannot be the goal, we support the least restrictive and
appropriate permanent plan. For more information, visit
www.pathinc.org or call (877) 766-PATH.
People Places, established in 1973, was one of the first thera-
peutic foster care programs to emerge in the U.S. In addition
to award-winning direct service in adoption and foster care,
the agency offers training materials and technical assistance to
sister programs. People Places’ Parenting Skills Training preservice
for prospective caregivers is used throughout the U.S. and
Canada. In 2014, the agency published a three day training
program for TFC staff: Fostering Healing Relationships. For more
information, visit www.peopleplacestraining.org.
continued on pg. 17

17
Praesidium is the national leader in abuse risk management and
offers a full array of abuse risk management and loss control
products and services. For two decades, Praesidium has helped
more than 4,000 organizations keep their clients safe from abuse
by an employee, volunteer, or another program participant and
prevent costly claims. For more information, or to get started,
contact Aaron Lundberg at ALundberg@PraesidiumInc.com or
(817) 801-7773 and visit www.PraesidiumInc.com.
Pressley Ridge helps over 5,200 children and families annually
through Educational Opportunities, Foster Care Connections,
Residential Options, and Community-based Support with loca-
tions in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia,
West Virginia, as well as internationally. For more information,
visit www.pressleyridge.org.
ProSolutions Training enables anyone in the social services
field to take continuing education courses online, at their own
pace. Many courses are approved for CE Credit by NASW.
ProSolutions Training professional development courses include
a pre-test, post-test and a Resources section with links and
downloadable materials, enabling individuals to truly implement
what they have learned into their current social services role.
IACET Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are provided with
every course at no additional cost.
Rapid Resource for Families provides an online referral database
for therapeutic and traditional foster care. The RRFF provider
network also delivers Intensive Alternative Family Treatment®
(IAFT®
). RRFF provides screening, training and outcomes during
and post IAFT®
treatment. IAFT®
program provides family treat-
ment for children who have experienced multiple placements
and require intensive treatment components. This placement
option supports best outcomes and serves as an alternative to
reduce treatment in higher levels of care. Contact: Danny Nolen,
Director Program Operations at dnolen@ncrapidresource.org.
ResCare Youth Services offers traditional
and treatment foster care along with case
management for each child we place. We
provide safe, nurturing home environ-
ments with trained foster parents. With a
specialty in treatment foster care, we care
for children with a wide range of needs.
We work with court systems, public plac-
ing agencies, the child and the foster and
biological parents to reunite the child
with their family as soon as possible. If
reunification is not possible, we assist the
custodial agency in finding permanency
for the child.
Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth (SAFY) is a
national nonprofit organization providing an integrated commu-
nity-based system of care resulting in permanency and well-
being for families and their children. Building upon our reputa-
tion as a leader in treatment foster care services, our family sys-
tems approach combined with trauma-informed behavioral
health interventions produce positive, sustainable change to
secure families and avoid disruption in the lives of children.
SAFY’s locations include Alabama, Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky,
Nevada, Oklahoma, Ohio, Texas, and South Carolina.
Span Corporation’s proprietary software, Cmost™, uses its
extensive domain knowledge of court-centric drug testing pro-
gram requirements, to provide an Information Technology
Enabled Services (ITES) solution for managing the entire drug
testing process for maximum speed, accuracy and utility to the
case manager mission. Automating the process from referral, to
close client compliance monitoring, to documentation and
expedited reporting direct to the case manager via secure email,
Cmost powered drug testing programs shorten case times,
reduce cost and improve accuracy. For more information, visit
www.spancorp.com.
Turning Point Family Services works to provide a nurturing,
loving, therapeutic environment for children and families. Our
program is person-centered and strive to meet the needs of the
people we serve in a structured community-based setting. assist
children and families utilizing their individual strengths, values,
and beliefs to gain the skills that they will need. For more infor-
mation, visit www.turningpointfamilyservices.org.
The Unemployment Services Trust is designed to save non-
profits time and money. By providing world-class unemploy-
ment claims administration, a live HR hotline with expert HR
personnel and an exhaustive resource library, as well as expert
asset management, organizations that join UST see their aver-
age unemployment claim cost drop to $2,287, compared to the
national average of $5,174
per claim. Learn more
about whether UST can
help your organization
at www.chooseust.org/
lp/ust-quiz.html or call
one of our expert
Unemployment Cost
Advisors at (888) 249-4788.

FFTA Founders
Action Youth Care, Inc.
Ripley, WV
Alternative Family Services
Santa Rosa, CA
Beech Brook
Cleveland, OH
Boys Town
Boys Town, NE
CONCERN
Fleetwood, PA
EMQ/FamiliesFirst
Campbell, CA
Family Alternatives, Inc.
Minneapolis, MN
Lilliput Children’s Services
Citrus Heights, CA
The MENTOR Network
Boston, MA
National Youth Advocate Program
Columbus, OH
PATH, Inc.
Fargo, ND
People Places, Inc.
Staunton, VA
Pressley Ridge
Pittsburgh, PA
Seneca Family of Agencies
San Leandro, CA
Specialized Alternatives for
Families and Youth
Delphos, OH
Volunteers of America
New Orleans, LA
FFTA Patrons
Bluewater Family Support Services
Parkhill, Ontario
Get in FOCUS
FOCUS is a newsletter distributed to all
Foster Family-based Treatment Association
agency members. Agency membership ranges
between $560 and $2,735 annually. Individual
subscriptions to FOCUS are $60 per year.
To join FFTA or subscribe to FOCUS, contact:
FFTA Headquarters, 294 Union Street,
Hackensack, NJ 07601, phone: (800) 414-FFTA,
fax: (201) 489-6719, e-mail: ffta@ffta.org.
Visit our Web site at www.ffta.org.
Appearance of advertising and listings in this
publication does not indicate endorsement or
support by the FFTA of the product or service.
Foster Family-based Treatment Association (FFTA) • 294 Union Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601 U.S.A.
Phone: (800) 414-3382 Fax: (201) 489-6719 E-mail: ffta@ffta.org Web: www.ffta.org
Newsletter of the Foster Family-based Treatment Association
The Foster Family-based Treatment Association strengthens agencies that
support families caring for vulnerable children.
Myth: There are no orphans in the United States.
Reality: There are 104,000 children in the U.S. foster care who
are legally free and currently waiting for an adoptive home.7
Myth: Each child has to have a room of their own.
Reality: Each child needs a bed of their own, not a room of their
own. In addition, children of the opposite sex may share a room
if they are under an age specified by the State (usually around
6 years old). In some instances, however, there may be child-to-
square-feet requirements or behavioral concerns that will prevent
children from being able to share a room.8
Myth: I could never be a foster parent because I’m not married
and don’t make a lot of money. I don’t even own my own home.
Reality: There are no such requirements. You can be married or
single, a homeowner or a renter. The only financial requirement
is that you have enough of an income to support yourself and
your family aside from the money you are reimbursed to care for
a child living in foster care.9
Myth: Children in foster care have too much “baggage.”
Reality: This is perhaps the biggest myth of all. Children in
foster care—just like all children—have enormous potential to
thrive given love, patience and a stable environment. Just ask
former U.S. Senator Ben “Nighthorse” Campbell, singer Faith Hill,
actor Jamie Foxx or Minnesota Viking Dante Culpepper. They
were all foster children who were adopted by caring adults.10
MYTH BUSTERS
7
http://adoptuskids.org/for-families/how-to-adopt/common-myths-about-adoption#rooms
8
http://adoptuskids.org/for-families/how-to-adopt/common-myths-about-adoption#rooms
9
10
https://www.co.lucas.oh.us/index.aspx?NID=1810

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