Youth & Family Services

Therapeutic Foster Care

The program provides Behavioral Rehabilitation Services (BRS) to youth who need a higher level of care and are placed in Maple Star certified foster homes. Youth have often experienced a high level of trauma and struggle with emotion regulation and/or disruptive and challenging behaviors. The program implements a trauma-informed parenting approach, helping youth to stabilize and allowing them to begin building their strengths in the community and with a family. The program provides case management, skill building, individual counseling, parent training, individualized service referrals, aftercare planning and support. Maple Star provides comprehensive training and intensive support to our therapeutic foster homes 24 hours a day. The program serves youth from all counties across Oregon. Youth need to qualify for BRS services and can be referred by ODHS Regional Resource Consultants.

Family Recruitment, Certification & Training

We are licensed by the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) to recruit, certify, and train Therapeutic Foster Families to care for youth ages 6-18 in ODHS and County Juvenile Department custody. Foster Families and homes are assessed during the certification process to ensure successful caregiving. Foster Parents are provided extensive training to care for youth with higher needs. Foster parents receive 24/7 support, weekly in-home support, financial support, monthly training, and breaks from caregiving. 

Alternative to Detention

The Alternative to Detention Program provides stabilization, assessment, case coordination, system navigation, court appearance support, skills training, counseling, and parent support and coaching. The program serves youth involved with Multnomah and Clackamas County Juvenile Departments. The program provides services to youth and families for 60-90 days while living in Maple Star certified foster homes. Placing youth in an alternative to detention setting has proven effective in reducing a youth’s exposure to and engagement in criminal activity along with preparation for the next phase of transition, whether it’s returning home, stabilizing and strengthening the existing home and family structure, or moving to a more appropriate long-term living environment, such as independent living for older youth. Family preservation and reunification and successful transition is the overarching goal of each placement. Youth are referred to the Alternative to Detention Program by their Juvenile Court Counselor (JCC).