Specialized and Traditional Foster Care
There are times when a family’s home life is in turmoil, perhaps stemming from a neglectful or abusive situation. During these times, children in the family need calm, loving and healing places to live for extended periods of time. These children and youth who have a high degree of emotional, behavioral and/or medical problems receive support from JCFS’ Specialized Foster Care program.
Foster Family Support Programs
JCFS places children and adolescents from birth to 21 years of age in foster homes. We provide individual/family therapy, group therapy, life skills classes, respite care and case management. Our caseworkers and therapists have a manageable caseload and intensive supervision to ensure these children remain in a safe environment.
Foster Parent Recruitment and Licensing
In addition to placements, the foster care program recruits and trains potential foster parents to provide care for these children. JCFS works with foster parents who live in the Chicago metropolitan area within the following borders: South to Country Club Hills, North to Glenview, East to Lake Michigan and West to Berwyn/Cicero.
Exceptional Foster Care Services
We pride ourselves on our exceptional record of performance, consistently exceeding the expectations of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Our foster care and specialized foster care services include:
- Recruitment of Foster Parents through community events and monthly information meetings
- Licensing Foster Parents through training, home study and monitoring
- Private Foster Care for Jewish Families, in which cases the parents will need to have medical coverage for their children and will pay a sliding scale fee
- Post Adoption/Guardianship Counseling Services, with specific provisions for individual and family therapy for a child and family who have adopted or obtained guardianship
- After Care counseling services upon reunification with the biological parents
Get Help
For information about Foster Care contact Megan Sutherland, Director of Foster Care at 312-673-2767 or Nikki Goldwater, Intake Clinician, at 312-673-2731 or for information on becoming a Foster Parent, contact Marc Bermann at 312-673-2755.