multidimensional treatment foster care

What is Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care?

Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) is a cost-effective alternative to regular foster care, group or residential treatment and incarceration for adolescents who have problems with chronic disruptive behavior. It's a proven treatment approach—on the Surgeon General's list of programs that work—that is brief, yet highly effective.

Studies have shown that a 6-12 month placement can make a lifelong difference for a teen.

The teens in MTFC with Youth Alternatives Ingraham have had some problems with their behavior, their families and/or their communities. But they're very motivated to get back on track. While living in your home, the teen will view and model pre-social behaviors, and see how to get his/her needs met without committing crimes or hurting others.

Meanwhile the teen's parents or guardians are attending family therapy sessions with Youth Alternatives Ingraham, where they're learning highly effective communication techniques and honing their parenting skills. So when the time comes for the teen to return home, every family member is ready to live and work together happily and productively.

Your Role As A Foster Parent

As an MTFC parent, your diligent efforts to supervise, discipline and encourage your teen can make a lifelong difference. In home you'll use a structured behavior management system that teaches the teen better behavior. The system makes it clear which behaviors are acceptable and the consequences for misbehavior. And, just as importantly, the system gives you the opportunity to reward positive behavior.

Specifically, foster parents help teens get back on track by:

• Providing a stable and nurturing home
• Teaching new skills for forming relationships with positive peers and for bonding with adult mentors and role models
• Providing clear and consistent limits and following through on rule violations with nonviolent consequences
• Building on the teen's strengths and reinforcing positive actions

Why Choose Youth Alternatives Ingraham for Your Family?

When you choose to work with Youth Alternatives Ingraham, you'll reap the benefits of expert, personalized support from an agency that's committed to families. As a Youth Alternatives Ingraham foster parent, you'll be a member of the treatment team that includes a program supervisor, a skills trainer for the teen and therapists for both the teen and his/her parents and/or guardians. What's more, we'll provide you with:

• Emergency and on-call support that means our advice and care are never more than a phone call away
• Daily contact with your team to discuss progress, plans and challenges
• Weekly support groups to share experiences and strategies with other foster parents as well as with Youth Alternatives Ingraham staff
• Close monitoring of progress and program adjustment to reflect changing needs
• Access to licensed respite providers so you can re-energize
• Financial reimbursement commensurate to the needs of the teen
• Ongoing professional training on such topics as behavior management, substance abuse and effective methods for disciplining and encouraging your teen

Interested in learning more about MTFC?

Contact our foster care placement coordinator by email hmcinnes@yimaine.org or at 207-523-5029.