Thursday, August 23, 2007

The business of a new placement

Right now two very dedicated social workers (one state, one private agency) are busily reviewing files and trying to figure out what needs to be done for Frankie. Emails have been flying back and forth. So far we have this:

IEP meeting scheduled for tomorrow at 2:45

He does not due for a physical, but he does need two more immunizations. So I should make him an appointment to get those. (I am unclear whether I am to take him to my physician or to the health department.)
He just had an eye exam, but he refuses to wear his glasses and the agency is considering paying for contacts. That will require an appointment with the optomotrist to be fitted.
First meeting with psychiatrist who is contracted with agency to prescribe meds is Tuesday in The City at 5:15.

We have a recommendation for a counselor, and the agency is writing a contract to pay him directly since he doesn't take state-funded medical card. I need to make appointments for Frankie to see him one or two times a week. Of course they want me to transport him, but they will reimburse me for mileage at least.

He genuinely does not need to go to the dentist at all. (Yippee)

That's it for appointments, I think.

Then of course I have to inventory everything he owns,* which I will do as we move him to his own room, which happens after Evan moves out.

The social worker is coming over this afternoon to sign the last of the paper work, at least more of it.

I have just been told that Frankie qualifies for additional "difficult of care" payments directly from the state. I have no idea how much that will be, and I'm not turning down any money to help me raise these kids, but the designation makes me a little nervous. But then what doesn't make me a little nervous?

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* The agency has relaxed a little about the inventory. They no longer say "everything, absolutely everything." Now they give it to the kid, although we both have to sign it. They want a fairly accurate count of his clothes and a list of everything of value, both monetary and sentimental.

Unfortunately Frankie has already lost some items of his mother's that held sentimental value to him. He claims that their loss is the foster parents' fault. After living with him for week I am willing to bet a month's pay (if I were a betting person, that is) that he lost them himself. This child's organizational skills are consistent with a diagnosis of severe ADD.

2 comments:

  1. I wouldn't waste my time getting too nervous about the "difficulty of care" payments.

    We have received them on two of our kids. The one that received the lower of the two difficulty of care payments was impossible to live with. The one with the higher payment does require a lot of help, but actually isn't as much trouble on a day-to-day basis.

    Take the money and smile. Your state pays so little that you really deserve it.

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  2. Strange but related question... Are foster parents allowed to throw out children's belongings when they move into the foster home? When I was at CTB I heard from several kids that at least once they had lost all their belongings because they moved into a new foster home where these belongings were not allowed, and so the foster parents threw them out. For instance, foster parents who didn't want kids reading Harry Potter made a kid throw out all of his Harry Potter books and toys. Foster parents who were devout Christians made a child throw out all of her CD's and books that weren't of a Christian theme. Is that allowed?

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