By Trish Svoboda

To address the growing demand for Therapeutic Family Foster Homes (TFFH), the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) announced on Tuesday, March 26, that it will distribute grants totaling $4,765,355 to seven organizations. These funds will be used to expand capacity through innovative strategies, increasing the number of available homes and offering necessary training and support services.

Last year, the Kansas Legislature allocated $6 million from the State General Funds to bolster the capacity-building program of TFFH. These foster homes are given enhanced training and support services to serve as temporary residences for youth with substantial emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges.

“Together, the selected agencies will grow the network of Therapeutic Family Foster Homes while providing meaningful services and supports,” said DCF Secretary Laura Howard. “The approaches by the agencies span a number of thoughtful innovations with an ability to have resources customized to meet a child’s or family’s individualized needs.”

The introduction of a variety of innovative service delivery methods will lead to the development of targeted recruitment plans and enhanced comprehensive support for resource families, biological families, and youth. Some of these grants will involve partnerships with agencies that manage similar programs or assist youth who need a therapeutic level of care.

The grants will be in effect from March 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, with the potential for three one-year extensions. The leftover $1.2 million from the allocated funds will be utilized to offer additional support, training, and services for TFFH.