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Foster Care
The Department of Human Services of Michigan refers
neglected, abused and/or abandoned children to Orchards for
placement in foster care. Orchards' goal is to provide
stable homes for these children until they are returned to their
biological families. If the biological parents are unable
to resolve the issues that resulted in the removal of their
children, custody is terminated and the children are available
for adoption.
Potential foster parents can be single or married. They
must be at least 18-years-old, have sufficient income and
housing, and are required to provide a medical statement for
everyone in the home, and three unrelated references.
Foster parents are required to be fingerprinted as part of the
licensing process, and are subject to background checks,
including criminal, Central Registry and Sex Offender Registry
checks to ensure that they have a good moral character to
foster.
Training and Education
Treatment Foster Care
Treatment Foster Care is a family-based program that was
developed as an alternative to children being placed in
residential care. Treatment Foster Care assists in
bridging the gap for children and youth whose needs fall between
the capacities of regular foster care and residential treatment.
The Treatment Foster Care services are provided for 6-9 months.
Treatment Foster Care is a strength based program which focuses
on identifying and building upon the strengths of the child and
reinforcement of positive behaviors.
Treatment foster homes
receive advanced training, additional support services such as a
higher care giver pay rate, planned and emergency respite care,
behavioral specialist to work individually with the youth, a
clinician who will provide weekly therapy sessions and treatment
foster parent support groups.
Training and Education
Kinship Care
Often our birth parents are successful in correcting the
unstable conditions that led to the removal of their children
and are rewarded with their return. Orchards' staff is
there to assist in the smooth transition of placing children
back with their families by providing Kinship Care services.
Our Kinship Care staff work with extended family members to keep
the family network intact.
We also partner with community resources outside the agency
that specialize in services such as medical and educational
assistance.
Kinship Support Services offers support and encouragement to
families in Wayne County where caretakers are the primary parent
for a related child. Staff will provide services in the
relative's home and help them access the needed resources in the
community.
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