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Abstract: 

This article reports on a decade of research examining how treatment foster care (TFC) is implemented in usual-care practice, whether better quality is related to improved outcomes for youth, and how to improve practice and outcomes in the wide range of usual-care TFC agencies. Findings from studies of multidimensional TFC suggest that TFC can effectively help difficult-to-serve youth. However, most TFC programs are not implementing this empirically supported model. An initial observational study found that usual-care TFC was a “watered down” version of the ideal. However, the study identified a number of modifiable elements associated with better outcomes. A follow-up randomized trial tested a “hybrid” training/consultation approach to improve practice in usual-care agencies. Initial results are promising, and additional analyses are underway to examine factors and processes related to improved practice and outcomes.

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Affiliations:  1: Pennsylvania State University; 2: Duke University School of Medicine; 3: Duke University School of Medicine.