HOPE Unit for Medically Fragile Infants and Children

Started in 2001, the HOPE Unit works with infants and children in the foster care system whose medical needs require intensive attention from specially trained treatment foster parents and social workers.

The HOPE Unit matches medically fragile infants and children with foster parents trained to meet their individual needs. While the HOPE Unit accepts children aged 0-21, the average age of children in the program is four years old. Children in the program have a variety of medical diagnoses, including Shaken Baby Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, HIV/AIDS, diagnoses related to prematurity, narcotic exposure and withdrawal, and various respiratory conditions, among others.

The ultimate goal of the HOPE Unit is to provide medically fragile children with a trained, caring and dedicated family while their health is stabilized, and while their permanency plan is addressed. Many HOPE children are reunified with their birth families (approximately 40% have been reunified to date), while others are placed for adoption. Approximately 50% of HOPE children whose permanency plans were adoption have been adopted to this point, all by their CFS treatment families.

Treatment foster parents in the HOPE Program are thought of as specially trained professional parents. HOPE parents enjoy working with infants and young children with medical conditions, feel comfortable attending multiple doctor/hospital appointments, enjoy acting as a role model for birth families, and enjoy the high-level of support provided by a licensed social worker.

Social workers have a low caseload which allows for intensive services to the client, his or her birth family, and treatment foster parents. This close monitoring and daily communication allows for the provision of services (medical, developmental, emotional, case management, birth family work, and more) that can stabilize the child's medical status, and encourage the child to flourish and develop in the home while moving towards the completion of his or her permanency plan.

HOPE treatment foster parents receive a competitive stipend for the intensive services provided in their homes. If you are interested in becoming a HOPE treatment foster parent and you would like more information about this program, please call Kelly Grande, LCSW-C, HOPE Unit Coordinator at 410-538-3388.

Strong Families ~ Strong Communities