T wenty-three counties in Maryland and Baltimore City operate foster care programs. Foster care caseworkers work with the birth and foster families to develop the most appropriate permanency plan for each child. Reunification with parents, placement with relatives, adoption and independent living, in order of priority, are all examples of permanency plans. The foster care caseworker assists the birth and foster families in obtaining the services, such as counseling and health care, needed to meet the goals of the permanency plan. Each foster care program also works to recruit, train, approve and retain foster care providers.
T here are two foster care sub-programs.
The Independent Living Program helps teenagers in foster care learn to become self sufficient. The Family to Family Program places foster children in homes in their own community. Family to Family also encourages foster parents to play an active role with the birth family in planning and carrying out the goals of the permanency plan. The State of Maryland intends to incorporate the practices of the Family to Family Program into the larger Foster Care Program by the end of June 2000. To place all foster children into a permanent living arrangement within a maximum of 18 months from the date they entered foster care.