There are great rewards to being a foster care provider, but it can be challenging too! North Dakota provides a strong support network to help manage the fostering experience.
Licensing Specialists
Licensing staff are assigned to work directly with each foster care provider. Local custodial agency case managers are assigned to each child, which offers partnership to help meet the needs of the child, provider home, school, family and community.
Financial
Reimbursement for the care of a North Dakota child in foster care is issued monthly to the licensed/certified provider depending on the child's age and whether the child requires special care due to physical, emotional or behavioral health concerns. Expenses such as room and board, specified travel costs, clothing, personal allowances, and other material needs are also reimbursed for a child in foster care. A child's health care needs are paid through ND Medicaid or other health insurance.
Training
The licensing agency provides orientation and pre-service training. Each licensed foster care provider is required to complete training hours each year. Training is required for each licensing period (two year licenses). Various training opportunities are available on a local, regional and statewide basis. If a foster care provider is seeking specialized training to meet the needs of a child in placement, please contact your assigned licensing specialist or email cfslicensing@nd.gov.
Grief & Loss Counseling
Counseling services are available through the Recruitment and Retention Contract for ND foster care providers who may experience grief and loss after a placement has transitioned back home.
Liability Coverage
North Dakota provides property damage liability coverage for licensed/certified foster care providers subject to certain conditions. This coverage is secondary to the foster care provider's private insurance coverage.
Respite Care
Temporary relief care for a child with special medical, emotional, or behavioral needs may be required. Respite is time-limited supervision and care by another provider to support both the child in care and the provider by offering a break, when needed. Respite may be approved for no greater than 12 hrs/wk (non-overnights) or four days/week (overnights).
Contact the child’s custodial case manager if respite care is needed to support placement stability.
ND Provider Task Force
Health and Human Services facilitates a ND Provider Task Force to gain feedback, generate ideas and solicit support for innovative change. Locally, certain areas of the state have independent Foster Parent Associations, which provide a forum for foster care providers to exchange information and learn from each other's experiences.
The UND Children and Family Services Training Center (CFSTC) offers various support group and panel opportunities for foster care providers throughout the month. Check out Facebook!
Quarterly Newsletter
Foster care providers receive Fostering Communication, a quarterly newsletter published by the UND Children and Family Services Training Center.