What is NC thinking?

[Teresa]

I removed this post so as not to offend others whom felt that I was whining about losing money. I do wish that everyone will read Hitting The M.A.R.C. so that they can see how much their state is lacking or hitting the M.A.R.C. for their foster children. Bless all of you who have cared for our most precious resources.

[Texas Grandma]

I read your thread earlier in the week, but didn't reply. Read it again and now I have to reply. I am a relative placement of a 3 year old that I have has since he was 2 months old. The CPS in the state of Texas does not give relatives a monthly allowance to care for children/babies placed with them. We qualify for an ANNUAL payment of $500 and you have to fight to get it, medicaid, and if you are lucky CCMS that pays for daycare, and WIC. This does not give you any financial assistance for diapers, clothing, baby furniture, playpen, swing, high chair, potty chair, toys, blankets, bedding, non prescription items like Beaudreaux's Butt paste , Q-tips, baby Magic lotion and shampoo, baby wipes, baby powder, bottles, nipples, pacifiers, jar baby foods, cabiniet latches, stroller, walker, car seat. I know I said clothing,but a baby outgrows their clothes every 3 months. It does slow down some when they get to be a toddler. If you shop wisely you can get by with 2 to 3 sets of clothes a year then. These things really add up and you need them all and when you have a baby dropped in your lap with no notice it is a great financial burden.
So with all that said, when I read your post (whining) about losing $900 dollars a month per child, $500 per child in the summer, $50 dollars a month for a baby in diapers my mouth was hanging open. I only have one relative placement child that I have been caring for the past 3 years, I am lucky, I know several people that have several relatives placed with them. We are all in the same boat, we are struggling to make ends meet and keep our heads above water. We wouldn't know how to act with this much money a month to help care for these children that we love and took into our homes, we could be FABULOUS foster parents. The state of Texas pay the foster parents of non relatives approx. $28 a day, and more for a special needs child. That is about $840 a month. No wonder they try to find a relative. It is not for the benifit of the child, it is for the benefit for the state. Sorry for not being able to muster up much sympathy for you Theresa, you will still have it better than most.

[ThePowerMan]

I agree with you about the part that relative placements should receive some sort of boarding payments. Many people do not know what kind of financial burden that this causes. However, I live in Alabama and the state calls me a Foster Parent. I don't like to be labeled as a foster parent. Boarding payments in Alabama are very small. But I have found out that in our county most of the FP do not do it for the money anyway. As president of our FP association, we are working to put funds in place to help in situations like you have. No, we don't provide a boarding payment but we do provide some financial support that may be needed from time to time. This money didn't just appear out of the sky. We had to ask for it. Many businesses and wealthy people want to help but don't know how. We just provide them a way. Anyway, this may be something that you want to check into starting for your area. Find an accountant and attorney with a heart for kids and tell them what your ideas are and see it you can come up with an non-profit organization to start up. We have a board that has nothing to do with the state or the foster parents that reviews the requests and votes on whether money is disbursed. It works!

[Texas Grandma]

Thank you Power man for the idea. My sister is a CPA so the money management aspect would be taken care of. Just need to get a non-profit status.
I have even thought of trying to come up with a facility for storing clothing of all different sizes and items that are universally needed such as baby beds, high chairs, strollers, car seats etc, and letting people pick up what they need when they get a child, then bring it back when they have outgrown it and pick up items that they need like a toddler bed and linens etc. age and gender appropriate toys. It would be an exchange program for items needed as the child or children grow. They would be expected to take care of the items and bring them back clean and ready to be loaned out again. It would also give people a place to donate items they no longer need, that will go to good use.

[Texas Foster Mommy]

I also live in Texas and I am foster parent, I have been doing foster care for almost 3 years now, and I understand the frustrations of the money issue. I worked full time and had a great job with benifits, and then I began foster care and I could not work...there was too much to do, appointments to make, visitation, traning. So I quit my job...my good job with benifits.. and I have a few minor health problems that require daily medication, and with every new child comes new illnesses that I usually get :) I am finally building up my immunity...so now I have to be super carefull with my money. My husband works for a school district and makes peanuts...he at least has health insurance. We get a foster care payment of about 600 per child per month, and we are responsbile for everything, including the damages that the children make on our rent house...the holes in the wall the damaged carpet...we live 30 miles from anywhere, the doctor, the cps office, the grocery store, so we have to pay for the gas. I have to transport the children to visits, Dr. appointments both my current children see specialist about 3 hours one way....You find ways to cope, you find things that you can do for money. I work a job on the weeknds, while my husband is at home, because if we had to pay child care there would be no point in me working. It helps...at least I can do my progess logs, and input all my heath care logs on to the webiste, while at my weekend job. I also sub for a head start program during the week...*if I have children that are in school* I am not siding with anyone....If you love the children and you honestly love what you do then you find ways to adapt and make ends meet. In texas medicaid is a great resource, if your kids have medicaid and you have the paitence to talk to these people, there are several things that you can get. There are several things out there for foster parents to get help with, in Texas the foster care payment does not count as income, so usually unless you make a ton of money you qualify for things like wic, and light discounts, sometimes food stamps. Thanks

[Texas Grandma]

Texas Foster Mommy, if you are a relative placement you qualify for WIC, Medicaid (thank God) and possibly CCMS (Child Care Management services) but you may have to fight for this service.

You are right there are numerous appointments like Dr appointments as needed, immunizations, dentist appt every 6 months, court appearances, placement meetings, psych evaluations. It is very demanding of your time and if you have a job, hopefully a very understanding supervisor. I have had to leave jobs because I could not work the shifts they were putting me on and trying to find a weekend babysitter for 12 hour shifts was getting impossibly frustrating. Gas to all these appointments and time off work really do add up. I am single so I have one income and alot of demands on my time and resources. He is worth it, but it is very hard and I feel unfair that relatives are not compensated the same as non-relatives. The things we have to purchase for our kid(s) is not free or low cost just because we are related to them. The fact that CPS is incompatent and this keeps dragging out for years does not help the situation.

[Texas Foster Mommy]

The medical transportation program through medicaid has changed. Now you get to talk to someone fast and so many rules have changed to make is more user friendly. The phone number is 877-633-8747, again this is for Texas only. They pay for your gas for all appointments that you use medicaid for dental, shots, medical, physc. If you have things like therapy every week they will set you up on an automatic payment for a month where every week you get a certain amount mailled to you. Texas Grandma please feel free to e-mail me if you'd like Texasfostermommy@yahoo.com Thanks

[Teresa]

Texas Grandma, I am sorry that you felt that I was whining in my post and I am truly sorry if I offended you in some way, but as Texas Foster Mommy stated that she is payed $600.00 which is a large leap from the $475.00 that NC pays, and I must point out that I foster through a private agency that specializes in special need foster children, not standard family foster care. I am truly sorry that you do not recieve the support that all foster parents truly deserve, and I would like to let you know that I feel you are a very special person for taking on the care of your three year old relative.