Responsibilities of Partner Provider to Foster Parents

Responsibilities of Partner Provider to Foster Parents 1. Orientation and Support Groups a. The Partner Provider must provide orientation to applicants approved to be Foster Parents to acquaint them with the agency’s policies and practices. b. The Partner Provider must provide monthly formal support groups for Foster Parents. Each foster parent is required to attend at least six (6) support group meetings annually. 2. Agreement. The Partner Provider must have a signed agreement with all Foster Parents which includes the following: a. Confidentiality policy; b. Expectations and responsibilities of the Partner Provider staff and the Foster Parents; c. The services to be provided; d. Partner Provider policies on discipline; e. The actions which require Partner Provider staff authorization; f. The legal responsibility for damage or risk resulting from children in their home; g. The amount of the board payment and breakdown of child’s allowances; h. Partner Provider policies on firearms in the home; and i. Partner Provider policies on transportation and reimbursement for expenses, if applicable. 3. Ongoing In-Service Training. Partner Providers must ensure the provision of foster parent support groups in each area of service and offer required annual training hours (10). Five hours must be in-person and five hours may be online (any exceptions may be made, collaboratively, by MDCPS and the Partner Provider). The Partner Provider must provide training certificates, letters or verification of training to each Foster Parent for each training session attended. The training may be provided in the following areas: a. Roles and relationships in care of children between agency personnel, Foster Parents, child’s parents and the child; b. Separation and loss and the importance of a child’s birth family and the child’s communication with them; c. Permanency planning; d. Developmental needs of children in care; e. Cultural and religious awareness and differences; f. Behavior management and discipline techniques; g. Stress management; h. Multi-cultural placement and adoption; i. CPR, First Aid, communicable diseases and other health issues; j. Understanding trauma and its impact on children; k. Prevention of abuse and neglect in Foster Homes; l. Roles in shared parenting; m. Foster Parent involvement in family team meetings and county conferences (Foster Care Review); n. Sibling interactions; o. Parenting adolescents; p. Child sexual abuse; and q. Other training as deemed appropriate. 4. Foster Parent Bill of Rights. Every Foster Parent both therapeutic and traditional must be provided with a copy of the Foster Parent Bill of Rights (https://www.mdcps.ms.gov/foster-and-adoptive-parents/foster-parent- resources). 5. Grievance Policy. Every Foster Parent both therapeutic and traditional must be provided with a copy of the foster parent grievance policy (https://www.mdcps.ms.gov/foster-and-adoptive-parents/foster-parent- resources). a. A formal grievance is a formal statement of complaint for an alleged wrong or hardship suffered which may be filed by a person who provides foster care or relative care. b. A formal grievance may be filed by filling out Section I of the Foster Parent Grievance Form. The form is located on MDCPS’s website (https://www.mdcps.ms.gov/foster-and-adoptive-parents/foster- parent-resources) in an online version and a printable PDF version. The online version will be automatically filed once completed. The printable version must be filed via email at FPgrievance@mdcps.ms.gov An MDCPS representative will make contact with the foster parent once the grievance has been reviewed.