(Posted 2024 September)
In April the federal government passed a rule requiring Title IV-E and IV-B agencies to designate safe and affirming homes for LGBTQI+ youth in foster care. The rule will require agencies to put specific plans and processes in place to ensure that LGBTQI+ children and youth in foster care will be placed with providers who are "trained to meet their specific needs related to their sexual orientation and gender identity and who would facilitate access to age-appropriate services to support their health and well-being."
According to the Administration for Children and Families (ACF); Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) policy document*, “In order to be considered a Designated Placement for an LGBTQI+ child, the placement must satisfy three conditions, each of which goes beyond the general requirements that apply to all placements.
- First, the provider must commit to establishing an environment that supports the child's LGBTQI+ status or identity.
- Second, the provider must be trained with the appropriate knowledge and skills to provide for the needs of the child related to the child's self-identified sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
- Third, the provider must facilitate the child's access to age- or developmentally appropriate resources, services, and activities that support their health and well-being. HHS has concluded that these conditions are generally necessary to effectuate the statutory promise of a safe and appropriate placement for children who are LGBTQI+ because of the extensive evidence of the specific needs LGBTQI+ children have which require more specialized support.”
Becoming a Designated Placement is voluntary, and further, the rule specifies that nothing in the rule should be construed as requiring or authorizing a state to penalize a provider that does not seek or is determined not to qualify as a Designated Placement provider.
While state-level implementation of this policy is pending, Fairfax County Foster Care and Adoption is offering a virtual In-Service training September 12 and 19 to educate interested foster families. More details about the training, All Children All Families “Building Safety and Trust” are available in the Training section of this newsletter. Contact Emily Thomas for more information.
*Excerpted from the Federal Register: Designated Placement Requirements Under Titles IV-E and IV-B for LGBTQI+ Children. Read more details about this policy at the link.
This article posting is part of the Foster Family News monthly newsletter designed to keep foster parents informed about all the new and notable happenings in Fairfax County.
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