Access Services - Creating Better Ways To Serve People With Special Needs

Open your heart. Open your home.

Becoming a Therapeutic Foster Parent

It takes a special person to be a traditional foster parent. It takes an exceptional person to be a Therapeutic Foster Parent.

Therapeutic Foster Parents serve as both caregivers for children with needs (the fostering role), and active agents of planned change (the treatment role). They are viewed as colleagues and part of a professional team. Therapeutic Foster Parents take on the professional, yet loving role of healer and nurturer for children who are in need of direction and stability in their lives. In other words, Therapeutic Foster Parents perform the function of a loving parent, with the added support of a treatment team and treatment plan. Whenever possible, reunification with the natural family is a goal.

Click here to learn more about our Therapeutic Foster Care Program.

Becoming a Host Family

Similar to the Therapeutic Foster Parent program, Access Services’ Lifesharing program provides for children and adults with developmental disabilities a caring, stable, long-term home environment. By becoming a Host Family provider, you will gain a chance to significantly improve the quality of life for the individual under your care.   There are also short-term opportunities available to become a Respite Host Family.

Click here to learn more about Lifesharing and Respite

Our Process

Our recruitment department is dedicated to finding caring, qualified individuals and families to be Access Services Host Family providers. Each Host Family takes part in an orientation, a comprehensive home-study, home safety inspection and review process before being accepted. In addition, all families receive ongoing training, support and monitoring.  If you are interested in becoming a host family, or would like information  please call the Access Services office nearest you or complete this form to submit your inquiry online:
Host Family Inquiry Form

The Delaware Valley Region serves Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties.  Contact Donna Donnelly at extension 304
(215)540-2150 or toll-free (800)793-2150
The Lehigh Valley Region serves Lehigh and Northampton counties.  Contact Bruce Bendik at extension 248
(610)866-6667 or toll-free (877)896-6667
The Schuylkill/Carbon Region serves Schuylkill, Berks and Carbon counties.  Contact Jen Febert at extension 254
(570)366-1154 or toll-free (800)200-7701

 

Click here to download a brochure.

Click here to view some of the many fostering/host family opportunities available.