Specialized foster care helps children who have behavioral, mental health, or medical needs that can't adequately be maintained in a traditional foster placement. Specialized foster care can be with a relative or non-relative whom has become licensed with the agency.

Specialized foster placements are asked to take additional training to for children with more intensive needs. A general training will be offered initially by Family Service Center and then additional training will be offered on an ongoing basis specific to the child's needs.

Additional supports include:

-- Visits from the caseworker at least 3 times a month.

-- Counseling services for the child.

-- Behavior specialists who are on call and able to respond to crisis situations 7 days a week.

A larger monthly subsidy is provided to specialized foster parents to help address additional needs of the children. The agency will ask the foster family for preference regarding age, race, gender, and special needs of the children.