Professional Foster Pilot Program FAQ

Professional foster parents (PFPs) are former foster parents, educators, behavioral services providers, or mental health professionals with prior experience with children and youth. To be licensed as a PFP, they must be willing to commit to the responsibilities of fostering, including being available to a foster child or youth 24/7.

No, being a Professional Foster Parent is not considered traditional employment. It is classified as a 1099 contract position. The PFP contract is for 12 months, with a $2,000 bonus available to families that fulfill the 12-month commitment.  

The compensation for professional foster parents is comparable to employment in the educational/behavioral/mental health fields. Once licensed and available to accept a placement, you can expect to receive $5,700 per month, with additional stipends to cover health insurance and a child maintenance stipend when a youth is placed in the home.

Requirements for becoming licensed as a treatment foster parent include relevant experience with youth, completing 56+ hours of training, undergoing background checks for all individuals in the home, obtaining health clearances for all household members, providing references, and passing a home study interview process and home inspection.

The licensing process can vary depending on factors such as training schedules and individual circumstances. However, it often takes 4-6 months to complete all the necessary training, screenings, and inspections.

The background check process typically involves checking criminal records and child abuse and neglect registries for all adults living in the home.

Health clearances include medical assessments to ensure all caregivers are physically and mentally capable of caring for foster children/youth.

The criteria for passing a home inspection include ensuring that the home provides a safe and suitable environment for children, meets local building and safety codes, has enough space for foster children/youth, and is equipped with necessary amenities.

Treatment/Professional foster parents make a full-time commitment to caring for children with specialized needs and receive additional compensation to replace traditional employment. They are considered active participants in the child/youth’s treatment plan and work with the team to help the child/youth transition to lower levels of care. Professional foster parents assist the child/youth with participating in therapies, communicate with the child/youth’s educational team and participate in 504/IEP meetings, and are available 24/7 for additional needs of the child/youth.

If your home is not approved for treatment-level foster care, you may still be eligible for other types of foster care placements, including traditional foster care, therapeutic foster care, or respite care, depending on your preferences and qualifications.

All children/youth referred to our Professional Foster Care program fall between the ages of 8-18 and have a diagnosed intellectual/developmental disability. Youth are typically referred for step-down into a family-like setting after stabilizing and meeting treatment goals from residential levels of care. Many of the youth referred to our program participate in therapies (ABA, OT, speech, etc.) and also have a 504 plan or IEP in the educational setting.

In addition to the typical roles of a foster parent in providing stability, care, food, clothing, etc., professional/treatment-level foster parents are active members of the child/youth’s treatment team and assist the child/youth in meeting specific goals required for further step down. Professional foster parents help coordinate additional services needed for the child/youth, with assistance from program staff, participate in the child/youth’s educational meetings, attend and actively participate in monthly staffings, and assist during the discharge/transition process.

The Colorado Department of Human Services oversees the professional foster care program and has ultimate decision-making during the placement process. Department staff will get to know you and your family/home to help determine the criteria of youth that would be best placed in your home and will work diligently and intentionally to refer youth for placement that are a “best-fit” for your home. Once these determinations are made, Department and Envoi staff will begin working closely with you to provide information regarding the child/youth, begin setting up services and educational placement, and provide you opportunities to meet with the child/youth several times in their current placement and at visits in your home prior to official placement.

The professional foster care program is a short-term stabilization program for children/youth to continue their progress in a family and community setting to then transition to lower levels of care. Youth will be placed in the home for a minimum of 90 days, depending on the child/youth’s progress with treatment plan goals and continued stabilization.