Foster parent for medically fragile child

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I talked to a 60 year old CNA last week. She said she had been ill but had recovered. She said that she is a foster parent for a child with medical problems. She said that they pay her to take care of the child. She acted like she was getting well paid for doing this foster care. She said she didn't need to go out and get an outside job anymore. Was she telling the truth? I had thought that foster pay was not good.:confused: Thanks

I was a foster parent about 28 yrs ago for 'hard to place kids'. Back then I got about a $55.00/month stipend. The medically fragile child I referred to earlier... the family gets $1400.00/mo, nursing coverage 13h/d, 7 days/week, and full Medicaid benefits. Our kids became part of our family. This child has contact with the nurse only. The family rarely comes into her room.

It sure has changed over the years!

Kyasi

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This child has contact with the nurse only. The family rarely comes into her room.

That is really, really sad. And the SW isn't doing his/her job. I hope this LO gets adopted by a loving family.

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Ventmommy,

You are a hero. Blessings to you. It's so nice to see someone who has the right motives!

Kyasi

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Thanks Kyasi! I don't think I am a hero at all but I will take your blessings!

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Thanks Kyasi! I don't think I am a hero at all but I will take your blessings!

I took care of a child on a vent for 9 yrs but I went home at night and didn't have the responsibility for 24/7. So I don't say that lightly. It takes a special person and thank God for these kids that there are people willing to step up to the plate!

Kyasi.

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Hi! I am a newly licensed foster parent for medically fragile children. We have no kids yet. I am a LVN in Texas. I am currently working as a home health nurse for a child with a trach,vent,etc. I have just been told by my foster agency that I will not be allowed to leave my children in the care of their nurses at any time, but that there will have to be a separate, agency-approved person in the home any time my husband or I one are not there. I will not be able to work if this is the case, and I wasn't expecting this issue at all! I've spent hours trying to find someplace that it's written as a legal policy or law, & can find none. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you!

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You need to check with your state DSS as to what the policy is. If this is an agency policy, then it is possible that you just need to switch agencies or see what their requirements are for becoming approved. I have had several medically fragile children that did not have any nursing hours. That is when you get some friends and family members trained on their care and get them approved by the agency. This policy should have been fully explained to you and the issue resolved before you spent all that time in PRIDE or MAPP training and had the homestudy done.

Our foster care/adoption agency considered the licensing requirements of the Board of Nursing and we did not have to have a third-party approved person unless we left for the night.

Is your FC agency one that specializes in MF/TD children?

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Thank you for your response. I don't know if I would say that our FC agency specializes in MF/TD kiddos, but they do have a few PMN (Primary Medical Needs) homes. I am quite prepared to do a large part of my foster kid's care. I am not getting them for someone else to take care of, as some of the posts I have read tell about. Still, I was expecting to have a certain amount of help. We plan to have 4 children by next spring, and unless I can leave some at home with nurses, if one has an appointment for doctor, family visit, etc., that I have to take him/her to, then we ALL will have to go! This just isn't realistic.

I will continue to try to find something in the Texas laws. I have read and reread all I can find in the Texas DFPS and CPS. I'll try DSS too! Thank you! By the way, I think what you have done is wonderful! The lady I work for started out as a foster mom and ended up adopting 2 of her foster kids. She has really been my inspiration! This world needs more people like you and her, for sure! God bless you!!!

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I would be very, very cautious about planning on 4 SN children especially if they are NOT a sibling group. Being a nurse and taking care of someone else's SN child IS WAAAAAY different than caring for your own child 24/7 even with help.

If they are not siblings, trying to have a smooth-running household with 4 children rapidly added to a home 6-8 months is a lot. That is not even taking into consideration whether one or more is SN or MF/TD.

Most of the agencies here won't license a home for SN (either psych or medical) foster care unless one parent is stay at home. The agency is responsible for the safety of the child which is why they require your babysitter (whether it's your mom or sister or a nurse or the teen down the street) to get background checked.

When we have other fosters, if they are not in school, they come to all appointments. If you have babies, learn how to babywear. It makes things about 9 billion times easier when you have to take care of a baby and an older SN child.

We have three that are adopted. None are bio-sibs. Only one has a trach/vent. The other two have other medical issues but nothing as severe as my son on the vent.

I feel like my friends in TX are usually displeased with the coverage provided by Medicaid. Hoping to rely on nursing may not be an option. I am not trying to dissuade you from anything. Lord knows we need good foster homes and I want new foster parents to succeed!

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Hi! I just now had an opportunity to read your response. We have been to Ohio to visit our 3 month old grandtwins! Now that we are home, we are ready to get started with the foster kids, and are just waiting for the first phone call.

Thank you for your advice, and we will certainly take it into consideration! We do plan do do this SLOWLY! We will start with one and quickly add a second, but it will be several months before we add a third, and we aren't sure we will ever get a forth. It will certainly depend on the needs of the first three! I hope that I have had enough experience to know up front whether to accept a child with particular medical needs, and I certainly don't want to bite off more than I can chew! I take your warning seriously since you have done this, and I never have! Basically, I am leaning very heavily on the Lord's guidance!!!

Thank you for your response and for your help!

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I once worked for a person who was being paid for taking care of two family members. That person was making more than I did doing my job, so yes, they can be paid well, depending on your definition of well paid. Besides the person getting paid for the care of two, medicaid also paid for night shift for one of the patients so the caregiver could sleep.

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Please, just consider the needs of the first before you agree to a second. In addition to medical appointments, therapy appointments, psychologist appointments, you will also have visits from social workers, appointments for IEPS and school issues and possibly visitation with the bio-family.

It's better for the child for a family to say no when the social worker calls than to "give it a try" and have a disrupted placement.

Please don't hesitate to ask questions!

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