North Homes, Inc. is licensed by the Minnesota Department of Human Services as a resource for family foster care. Family Foster Care is based on the premise that many children and families benefit from a family based treatment model. By providing children and adolescents in need with a nuturing family home setting, we are able to help to provide chldren with the least restrictive, most appropriate setting to address their needs. North Homes, Inc. offers six levels of foster care including professional; intensive; specialized; care for medically fragile children; emergency and treatment foster care. This enables us to best meet the needs of individual children with specific needs. As an example, our specialized homes address needs which may include chemical dependency; medical conditions; sexual offenses; independent living skill develoment; whole family placements.

North Homes, Inc. has approximately 75 licensed homes throughout the state of Minnesota, ranging in location from International Falls to the Twin Cities and all parts between. We have homes in rural areas, small towns and large cities. Case managers are available round the clock to address issues that may arise "after hours". As with many of our other programs, we utilize a team approach to treatment planning, drawing on the collaborative model to achieve best outcomes.

One of the most beneficial components of our foster placements are the complement of services available to children in the homes we have licensed.

These complementary services may include:

• Individual, Family or Group Counseling
• Psychological and Psychiatirc Assessments
• In-Home Family Services
• Chemical Dependency Assessments and Treatment
• Specific In-Home Programming
• Individualized Case Management Services
• Monthly Transportation for Home Visits
• Access of North Homes, Inc. ITASKIN Center Programs
• Aftercare upon discharge from foster care
• Innovative Support Services

Our ability to provide a network of services and support for the children placed in our care is a leading factor in the decision to place with North Homes, Inc.  If you are interested in learning more about becoming a foster parent, please contact us.  In Grand Rapids, talk to Jill Florek.