Therapeutic Foster Care
Many of today’s children are faced with a multitude
of pressures, one of which is the decline of the family structure.
Through the Therapeutic Foster Care program supervised by
clinical staff from the Harpst Campus, children age 6-17 can
be placed in a stable home environment with highly trained
“parents” who are equipped to offer the emotional
and therapeutic support they need to continue developing into
healthy and happy individuals. Here the children are offered
many opportunities to be involved with the community in which
they live while attending public school. Each TFC family is
trained to use similar behavioral modification systems, rules
and guidelines used in the Harpst residential treatment program.
During times of unusual stress and/or if the child experiences
a difficult setback, respite services are provided for the
family while the child is readmitted to the Harpst campus
for a period of stabilization and further treatment if necessary.
As the child becomes more developmentally mature, the behavior
modification techniques will eventually be internalized and
no longer needed as an external motivator. Now rules are generally
appreciated and obeyed, an appreciation of one’s self
and others has developed, and the child’s life moves
toward greater normalcy.
A child can be referred to TFC directly from the OASIS program,
through transition from the Harpst residential treatment program
once treatment is successfully completed, or by referral from
other sources.
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