Become A Professional Parent

Become A Professional Parent: Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions
  1. How long is the approval process for becoming a treatment parent?
  2. What does the approval process consist of?
  3. Once a child is placed with me, how long will he/she stay?
  4. Is a treatment parent able to hold a job?
  5. Is a single person able to be a treatment parent?
  6. What is the reimbursement rate for professional parenting?
  7. What does the reimbursement cover?
  8. How are the costs of the child's health care paid?
  9. How frequently will I be reimbursed?
  10. How many children may I have in my home?
  11. What happens when the child returns home?
  12. What do current treatment parents have to say about professional parenting?
  13. What kinds of people make good professional parents?
  14. How can I receive more information about becoming a treatment parent?
  1. How long is the approval process for becoming a treatment parent?
    The approval process normally takes three to six months.

  2. What does the approval process consist of?
    The approval process includes eight weekly training sessions, each of which is three hours; a home evaluation; reference checks (medical, employment, personal); criminal history checks (including fingerprinting and local police checks); and a life safety home inspection.

  3. Once a child is placed with me, how long will he/she stay?
    Treatment care is considered temporary and short term. A child may stay only a few days or several months, depending on the child's family situation.

  4. Is a treatment parent able to hold a job?
    Yes, some treatment parents are able to be employed outside the home.

  5. Is a single person able to be a treatment parent?
    Yes. Treatment parents can be married or single. The important thing is their willingness and ability to parent.

  6. What is the reimbursement rate for professional parenting?
    The daily rate is $75.

  7. What does the reimbursement cover?
    The payment is made to assist the treatment family in providing food, shelter, clothing, transportation, and entertainment for the child.

  8. How are the costs of the child's health care paid?
    The youth are covered by Medicaid or another form of insurance.

  9. How frequently will I be reimbursed?
    Payments are made twice a month; an invoice must be submitted and approved.

  10. How many children may I have in my home?
    This is determined for each family during the evaluation process. However, homes are generally not approved for more than two youth.

  11. What happens when the child returns home?
    The youth's return home (or placement in a less intensive treatment setting) is generally a planned activity, allowing the treatment parent the opportunity to participate in the planning and to say good-bye to the child. This can be difficult, but the youth's return home represents a success.

  12. What do current treatment parents have to say about professional parenting?
    Please read about our featured parents, Jessie & Joe, to learn more about being a foster parent.

  13. What kinds of people make good professional parents?
    Generally, "professional" parents have a lot of patience, common sense, and love to share. Treatment parents also need to have emotional maturity and personal stability in their own lives in order to provide emotional support, consistency, understanding and guidance to troubled youth, who are known to test everyone's limits! We are looking for individuals and families who want to share their lives and their homes in order to make a positive difference in a child's future. And, you must be willing to stick with the child through both the good and the not-so-good times. Those who try this type of work in order to meet their own needs quickly drop out.

  14. How can I receive more information about becoming a treatment parent?
    You can contact us via email at info@crossroadsprograms.org or call 609-880-0210 and ask for the Program Director in charge of treatment homes.