Be a Therapeutic Treatment Parent
If you are interested in becoming a Therapeutic Treatment Parent, we are happy to support you on the journey! Please select Become a Treatment Parent below for more information. If you know someone that would be a positive impact on young lives as a Therapeutic Treatment Parent, please select Refer a Treatment Parent below.
Please contact our Licensing Department with any additional needs at beafosterparent@akchild.org or by calling 907-792-4111.
Therapeutic Treatment Parents provide Therapeutic Treatment Home Services (TTHS) in their homes, with the support of AK Child & Family staff. TTHS is a powerful and unique model of care that provides youth with the best elements of traditional foster care and residential treatment. AK Child & Family has licensed Therapeutic Treatment Homes throughout the greater Anchorage community to support the diverse needs of youth in our care. TTH Programs provide clinically proven, cost-effective, individualized, and intensive treatment for youth.
Youth in AK Child & Family TTHS range in age from 3 to 21 and come from a variety of backgrounds, family circumstances, cultures, and parts of Alaska. The average age of all youth in our services is 14. Homes may become licensed to provide services for one to three youth at a time, and may provide temporary respite care for other youth in our services. Each youth is assigned a Case Manager, who meets with youth and their Therapeutic Parent(s) at least weekly. A treatment plan is established to identify goals for services based on each youth’s individualized needs. Therapeutic Parents work with youth on a daily basis to meet the goals of their treatment plans while they and the youth continue to go about normal routines of daily living.
AK Child & Family is looking for Therapeutic Treatment parents who meet the following criteria:
- Ability to provide three positive references, and a positive background check
- Basic knowledge of childhood development
- Willingness to focus and work on the strengths of the Therapeutic Treatment youth
- Ability to well with the treatment team toward the treatment goals of the youth
- Ability to keep an open mind and to set firm boundaries, while remaining patient and compassionate
- Ability to provide a warm, nurturing environment
- Willingness to model appropriate expression of emotions, good communication skills and socially acceptable hygiene and cleanliness
- Willingness to participate in the licensing process
What are the expectations of Treatment Parents?
- The ability to work with youth and their families within the agency philosophy of inclusivity, positivity, supportive and empowerment-focused discovery of health
- The ability to work with a multi-disciplinary team, maintaining open, responsive and collaborative communication
- A willingness to learn and receive constructive feedback and to incorporate feedback into the work being done, and grow in your skill as a therapeutic parent provider
- Maintain annual training and licensure requirements
- A stable financial situation that does not rely solely on reimbursement for therapeutic services
- Complete daily progress notes documenting interventions used, youth’s behaviors and progress
- Conduct and appropriately document monthly fire drills
- A personal mode of transportation to ensure the youth accesses necessary services and engages in daily schedule
- A flexible schedule
- Ability to use a computer and navigate its basic systems as well as type fluent English, and maintain internet connectivity to the home
Licensing Process:
AK Child & Family is licensed as a Child Placement Agency which means that we recruit and license child foster homes for the State of Alaska, and these are the homes that work with the youth we serve. AK Child & Family will help potential TP's during the state licensure process and train you to take care of these youth in your home.
If you are interested in becoming a Therapeutic Treatment parent, the first step is to let us know! Please call (907) 792-4111 or email us at beafosterparent@akchild.org.
An AK Child & Family licensing supervisor will walk you through the licensing process which includes:
- An application
- Background checks
- Interviews with agency staff
- Pre-Service Training requirements
- Home inspection to ensure the home meets state regulatory requirements.
Once all of the licensing steps are completed, the license application is submitted to Office of Children’s Services for approval.
What trainings do Therapeutic Treatment Homes receive?
All Therapeutic Parents have:
- Completed the AK Child & Family pre-service Pressley Ridge Training emphasizing professional parenting skills, healthy relationships and communication, understanding and changing behavior, and managing conflict and crisis.
- Certification in the MANDT System: de-escalation framework designed to help individuals manage crisis.
- Certification in Adult and Pediatric First Aid and CPR; to be renewed every two years.
- Annual trainings required by the agency including, but not limited to: HIPPA, Fraud/Waste/Abuse Compliance, and Quality Documentation. Medication Management, Reporting of Concerns and Ethics, Suicide Prevention, etc.
- Have 35 training hours every year for 2 parent households, and 25 training hours for a single parent household.
- Each Treatment Home will engage in an individualized training plan, which is tailored to meet and nurture the needs of the children that each family brings in to their home.
AK Child & Family is licensed as a Child Placement Agency which means that we recruit and license child foster homes for the State of Alaska, and these are the homes that work with the youth we serve. AK Child & Family will help you during the state licensure process and train you to take care of these youth in your home.
If you are interested in becoming a Therapeutic Treatment parent the first step is to let us know! Please call (907) 792-4111 or email us at beafosterparent@akchild.org. You can also fill out our initial screening online here!
