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The Foster Care Program works with at-risk foster youth ages 9 to 17 years old that have been removed from their biological homes because of neglect, abuse, problems with the law, drugs, mental illness, or other family problems. Foster youth are placed in foster families for a limited time - no longer than 1 year - depending on the program and the referring state agency.

• Kamala Homes. Short-term shelter homes that accept teens aged 10 to 17 for a period of 1 to 90 days.
• Hanai Homes: This "skill building program" accepts teens from 12 to 17 for up to about a year.
• Therapeutic Foster Homes: Short-term foster homes that accept youth from 9 to 17 years old for 6 to 9 months. These youth are usually referred by the Department of Health and have a DSM-IV diagnosis.
• Independent Living Foster Homes. Short-term foster homes for teenagers from ages 16 and older. These youth are in the process of transitioning out of foster care and need to learn how to live independently.

Hale Kipa Foster Care Program recruits, trains and provides ongoing support for foster families. Families can choose to provide emergency foster care, be a part of one of our skill-building programs, or provide a therapeutic home environment for youth in need of temporary out-of-home placement. There is a foster board payment that covers the cost of the foster youth's needs.

All Hale Kipa foster parents must be licensed by the State of Hawaii. This process includes:

• PRIDE training. This 27-hour pre-service training must be completed by all potential foster parents. Normally, the training is held one evening a week for 9 weeks, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Hale Kipa Office.
• Licensing Requirements. During the PRIDE training, several licensing requirements must also be fulfilled. These include FBI fingerprinting, Child Abuse and Neglect Clearance (CAN), medical and tuberculosis clearances, employment and character references, financial worksheet, marriage certificate and/or divorce decree, driver's license and proof of insurance, CPR/first aid, and CPI (crisis prevention intervention) training. For a complete list of requirements, click here.

The application process beings with a basic questionnaire which you can complete online. Or call 589-1829, ext. 400 to discuss your application. If you have more questions about Foster Care with Hale Kipa, check our FAQ section, or Email.

Complete initial questionnaire | Frequently Asked Questions