If a child is removed from the care of their parents, a public agency is granted custody. Agency case managers determines the type of foster care required for a child based on the needs of the child. Several placement options are available in North Dakota.
Short-Term (Emergency) Shelter Care
A temporary safety service offered when a child needs a placement out of the home. Shelter care in a licensed or certified family foster home can occur for up to 14 days. In order to access a shelter care home, case managers or CPS workers must facilitate the arrangement by accessing the ND Provider List.
Respite Care
Temporary relief care for a child with special medical, emotional, or behavioral needs, which require time-limited supervision and care. Respite care will support both the child in care and the provider/caregiver by offering a break, when needed. Respite can be offered for up to 12 hours/week (non-overnights) or 4 days/week (overnights).
Contact the child’s case manager if respite care is needed to support placement stability. Case managers will access the ND Provider List. Providers can be certified or licensed to provide foster care.
Relative Foster Care
Children in ND foster care do well with with familiar faces. Identified relatives (grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, Godparent, well known neighbor, coach, etc.) are eligible to be licensed to care for their kin. Placement may last a number of days to several months. Relative providers can only serve children related/known to them as kin defined by the custodial case manager.
Contact:
- CFS Licensing Unit at (701) 328-2322, 711 (TTY) or cfslicensing@nd.gov
- Tribal Nations - Tribal Social Services
Regular Foster Care
Children in ND foster care need a safe space to be cared for, supervised, loved and nurtured while their family plan is established. Regular foster care is intended to be offered as a temporary safety service supporting children and families. Placement may last a number of days to several months. Providers engage in daily cares, transport children to medical appointments, school, engage in normalcy activities, assist with visitation with family and siblings, while celebrating special dates (birthdays, school events, etc.) until reunification efforts can occur.
Contact:
- CFS Licensing Unit at (701) 328-2322, 711 (TTY) or cfslicensing@nd.gov
- Tribal Nations - Tribal Social Services
Treatment Foster Care
Treatment foster care providers receive extra training and support as children in therapeutic settings require additional behavioral health interventions to support their emotional needs. Treatment foster care is intended to be temporary, with high level interventions to provide skills and stabilization to children with complex trauma. The average length of placement is nine months.
Contact: ND Nexus-PATH
Pre-Adopt Placements
children in foster care may become free for adoption. Families seeking to adopt a child go through the adoption home study process and gain approval to adopt. Upon matching the child to a family, the child begins engaging in the family and builds rapport and bonding until the adoption process is finalized. Roughly 17% of licensed foster care providers are chosen by the custodial agency to adopt a child free for adoption from foster care .
Contact: Licensed North Dakota Adoption Agencies
Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTP)
Children in need of treatment services and 24-7 supervision may require placements in a QRTP. The average length of stay is six months.
Contact: List of Programs
Supervised Independent Living (SIL)
Foster care transitional living available to children transitioning into adulthood and have active 18+ Continued Care case management or are over the age of 18 under the custody of a Zone, DJS or a Tribal Nation. Accommodated and Supported living arrangements are available.
Contact: ND Nexus-PATH
Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program
Foster care is provided for youth arriving from other countries through North Dakota's Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program. Foster homes, primarily in the Fargo area, help youth adjust to a new country while providing the support of a family setting.
Contact: Agassiz Valley Human Service Zone