THE ANSWERS!!
What is PresidioInc?
PresidioInc is a Colorado nonprofit child
placement agency dedicated to providing quality therapeutic foster care and out-client
services to children, youth and families. The mission of Presidio, Inc., is to create a
therapeutic environment conducive to the individual needs of each child in placement.
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Who is PresidioInc?
The administrators of PresidioInc have been
involved in foster care for close to thirty years. PresidioInc's staff are
diverse in education and experience, creating a rich and innovative treatment team.
PresidioInc offers both therapeutic foster care and a wide array of assessment
and therapeutic services.
PresidioInc has over thirty licensed foster care
homes in Colorado. Currently, our homes stretch from south of the Denver metro area
through Greeley and Ft. Collins. Our Co-Parents are diverse in race, religion, age,
education and income; as a result PresidioInc does not discriminate.
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What is a Co-Parent?
A Co-Parent is Presidio's term for foster parent.
Co-operative team work is how we can provide the best possible services for the children
and families involved in our program. The Co-Parents are an essential and vital to
the team
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Who are the children in our
care?
All of the children in PresidioInc's care are
under protective custody. PresidioInc receives children through referrals from
various County Departments of Social/Human Services. The majority of our children are
school age (ages 5-18), and are ethnically reflective of Colorado's population. The
children, in most instances, have been removed from their home setting due to extreme
abuse, abandonment and neglect. Most suffer from behavioral or post-trauma disorders.
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Can a foster home choose the type
of child placed in their home?
Yes. Careful consideration and pre-placement routines are
taken to ensure the proper matching of each child in a foster home, prior to a placement.
Co-Parents are the central ingredient to a treatment model that focuses on the healing
value of a home setting. We want to ensure success of a child in a home and prevent the
trend of multiple placements.
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Why do Counties refer children to us?
Many counties recognize and respect what PresidioInc's
program offers to severely emotionally and physically abused children. The goal of our
treatment is to preserve the family, prevent placement into a more restrictive
environment, normalize and reintegrate institutionalized children, and/or prepare children
and their families to function self-sufficiently. Our high standards have
established a strong community reputation for providing effective services.
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Does PresidioInc receive
infants and toddlers for care?
Rarely. We do however, place teen moms and babies in
appropriate foster homes. If you are interested in toddlers and infants for foster
care placement, check our LINKS PAGE for references or go
to www.childplacementinfo.org. The
agencies that specialize in infant and toddler placements are foster/adopt and adoption
agencies.
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What happens if the foster family
wants to adopt?
The desire to adopt a child inspires many families to
pursue options within foster care. Foster care can be a wonderful opportunity to
experience a child in your home prior to an adoptive commitment. PresidioInc is
not involved in the direct adoptive process. We will, however, refer families to the
proper agencies in the event that an adoption is requested and support the Co-parent(s)
through the process. If you are interested specifically in adoption check our LINKS PAGE for some resources to check out.
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How does reimbursement for
services work?
Co-Parents are reimbursed and compensated with one monthly
check by the 20th day of the month following the month in which services were
provided. Services provided in January, for example, will be reimbursed by February 20th.
The one check will include a state regulate maintenance rate plus compensation.
Please see our Foster Parent Application Information
for further information on reimbursement.
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Does PresidioInc
provide 24-hour assistance?
Yes. PresidioInc realizes that emergencies can and
do occur around the clock. Our Treatment Coordinators and Administrators rotate 24-hour
on-call duties. In the event of an emergency, call Presidio's office at (303) 432-2298 and
listen for emergency instructions.
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How do I become a license Co-Parent
with PresidioInc?
To become a license Co-Parent with PredisioInc you
must first complete the application process. Go to our Application
Information page and print out the four page outline of the process. If you are
still interested in applying, please contact us and request an application form.
The following is a list of items you will need as a part of
completing your application. A detailed list will be sent to you when you request an
application form.
- Completed application with at least five personal or
professional references.
- A completed set of finger prints for each family member over
18 years of age. The CBI (Colorado Bureau of Investigations) card will be provided
in the application packet you request.
- The primary care provider of the home MUST be and remain
First Aid/CPR certified at all times.
- A completed health evaluation for each member of the
household. A TB test is also required. This form is also provided in the
application packet you request.
- Copy or your proof of automobile insurance
- Copy or your drivers license
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What is involved in a Home
Study?
A Home Study is a two step procedure involving you and your
entire family.
Step One: Once your application is received, a
qualified person from Presidio will contact you to schedule a Home Study Interview.
You and your family will be asked many personal questions about your background, extended
family, personal beliefs, values, and other questions. The questions are used to
help Presidio administration in determining the capabilities of your household to
undertake the involvement of foster children, county caseworkers, Presidio Treatment
Coordinators, Presidio Contract Therapists and Psychologist, and the biological family
involved with foster children in your home.
Step Two: The final Home Study Evaluation and
application will be reviewed by Presidio administration to determine if your
qualifications meet our standards for professional therapeutic foster care.
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How much training is involved to
become a Co-Parent?
Colorado State Department of Human Services currently
requires 20 hours of Pre-Service training for therapeutic foster care homes.
Presidio will schedule and announce preservice training's to those individuals who's
applications have been received.
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What if I am currently licensed
by another child placement agency?
If you are currently licensed by another child placement
agency we CANNOT accept your application. However, we will be happy to answer any
questions you may have about changing to a different agency. If you currently have
foster children in placement there is an appeals procedure that we must follow prior to
accepting your application. The procedure involves letters and referrals from the
current agency, the caseworkers of children in placement and our agency. For details
contact us or any other child placement agency, including the state and county. If
you have no children placed in your home, you simply need to resign. We will need a
copy of your resignation letter for our files.
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What is a Child Placement Agency
(CPA)?
A Child Placement Agency, defined at 26-6-102(2), C.R.S.,
is any corporation, partnership, association, firm, agency, institution, or person who
places or arranges for placement of any child under the age of 16 years for purposes of
foster care and/or adoption. The natural parents or legal guardian of any child who
places that child for care shall not be deemed to be a Child Placement Agency.
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How many private child
placement agencies (CPA's) are there in Colorado?
Colorado has over 100 private CPAs. To learn more, see www.childplacementinfo.org
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What is "respite"?
"Respite" is the term used in foster care to
describe a break, usually at least 24-hours, from children in placed in a foster home.
Respite providers must be approved by a Treatment Coordinator. Respite providers are
required to provide Presidio with a completed respite application, be fingerprinted, and
pass the Central Registry/FBI background check.
If you are interested in becoming a respite provider
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