Support Services
The OHEL Milton Schulman Foster Care Program provides a range of continual support services to the foster child and foster parents from birth to age 21.
These include:
Case Management
An OHEL social worker is assigned to each child that enters the program. The social worker works with the child, foster and birth families to ease the transition process. Throughout a child’s placement, the assigned social worker assists with coordinating services and providing support to the child and foster family. The social worker is required to visit the child in the foster home regularly and works with the foster family to ensure that the child is receiving appropriate educational services as well as adequate medical and psychological care. The social worker supervises visitation between a child and his or her birth parents. The social worker participates in court proceedings to provide updates on the family’s progress.
Educational Services
The OHEL social worker assists in finding an appropriate educational setting for each foster child as well as maintains contact with each school. Some foster children have experienced educational neglect or have learning difficulties and may need additional assistance in keeping up academically. These foster children may be afforded tutoring services funded though OHEL or the opportunity to study with a volunteer.
Psychological Services
Foster children have experienced significant trauma in their short lives. They may be suffering from loss and separation after removal from their birth home. The social worker meets with the child, birth and foster families on a regular basis and OHEL subsidizes psychiatric and psychological counseling when needed.
Medical Care
Each child receives clinic based medical coverage from ACS. In addition to the ACS coverage, the Milton Schulman Foster Care Program funds any additional necessary medical treatment. OHEL’s medical secretary ensures that each child is receiving comprehensive medical care and assists in coordinating medical appointments.
Homefinding
The Homefinding department recruits, trains and certifies families within the community.
