Frequently Asked Questions

Below are the FAQs we’re most often asked about KVC or becoming a foster parent or Shared Living Provider. Click here to read our foster parenting FAQs or click here to read about becoming a Shared Living Provider.

 

General Questions

Our most asked questions about general operations.

KVC Nebraska is a private, nonprofit organization that provides a variety of programs and services to meet the diverse needs of youth, families and adults throughout Nebraska. Our mission is to enrich and enhance the lives of Nebraska families.

KVC Nebraska offers foster carehome-based support for people with disabilitiesintensive in-home preservation and reunification, in-home behavioral health, substance use evaluation and treatment and educational support services to over a thousand children, families and adults every year.

For foster care, home-based support for individuals with disabilities, and intensive in-home serves, we accept referrals from the State of Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and Nebraska Juvenile Probation. Our prevention and in-home therapy programs accept referrals directly from caregivers, school personnel or other community support agencies.

KVC Nebraska takes the privacy of the families we serve seriously. We comply with all HIPAA regulations and standards. We do not release information to any group or individual without the appropriately signed authorization for release. We do not sell or otherwise disclose information about our clients, caregivers, volunteers or supporters outside of our immediate organization. This policy has no exceptions. We do not sell or exchange your information with any other organizations – public, private or nonprofit.

Read our privacy policy here.

KVC Nebraska counts on community involvement to achieve its mission of enhancing and enriching the lives of Nebraska families and there are multiple ways you can become involved. Please consider becoming a foster parent or Shared Living provider! If fostering or long-term caregiving is not right for you, you can donate or volunteer!

We’re always on the lookout for individuals and community partners who want to take an active role in improving the lives of others and strengthening our communities.

Visit the following pages to learn more about how you can get involved: Donate, Foster Care, Shared Living, Volunteer

Take a look at employment opportunities by visiting our Careers page.

‘Follow’ and ‘like’ us on Facebook to help spread the word!

Donations made to KVC Nebraska are used to benefit thousands of Nebraska individuals, children, adolescents and families.

One of the most significant uses of donations to KVC Nebraska is to assist in funding our bi-annual Resource Family Conference. Each year, we sponsor a conference for foster parents, Shared Living providers, youth in foster care, and individuals in care. Donations help us secure quality speakers and trainers as well as ensure that while the caregivers are receiving quality educational opportunities, the youth and individuals we serve are having a fun-filled day. It’s amazing to see the excitement and joy from youth and individuals who otherwise might not have had the opportunity to participate in such activities. Additionally, donations help us provide this conference to KVC caregivers, individuals in care, and youth in foster care free of charge.

Other examples of how funds are used include but are not limited to, ensuring each youth in foster care have clothing and other basic needs, school supplies and Holiday presents, and ensure that foster parents and Shared Living providers have adequate support.

Yes. KVC holds several events each year, and we welcome community involvement and volunteering. Visit our Events page to find out about upcoming fun events and training classes we’re hosting near you.

We are always looking for professional and compassionate individuals join our team and help raise the bar in providing quality care! Visit our Careers page for a current list of opportunities.

Foster Care

Our most asked questions about becoming a foster parent to youth in the Nebraska foster care system.

The need for foster parents continues to grow. On any given day, there are more than 5,000 children and teens in foster care in Nebraska. KVC works to find loving families to care for youth who have experienced abuse, neglect or other serious family challenges until they can safely reunite with their biological family or are adopted by a forever family.

Ready to sign up to become a foster parent? Click here!

The children range in age from birth to 18 years old. The greatest need is for families willing to care for children ages 11 and older. We also have a need for more families to care for sibling groups of two or more children.

First, we recommend that you read all of the information provided in this FAQ and download our free guide, 6 Steps to Becoming a Foster Parent, for details about the process. These resources can help you decide if foster parenting is right for you. Once you are ready to move forward, please complete this form and our Foster Care Recruitment Coordinator, Becki Schindler, will reach out to you to schedule a meeting and answer any additional questions you have.

You can also take a look at our blog for more information on becoming a foster parent and stories from real KVC foster families.

Nope. You must be at least 21 years old with a valid driver’s license and/or reliable transportation. We are looking for loving, caring adults who want to make a positive impact in a child’s life and provide a safe environment. You can be single, married, any sexual orientation, a homeowner or apartment renter. For homes with one licensed foster parent, a max of four children may reside in the home and no more than two children can be under the age of six. For homes with two licensed foster parents, a max of six children may reside in the home and no more than four children can be under age six. Biological children are included in these ratios.

You must be able to meet basic income guidelines and everyone living in your home must undergo a background check. You will also need to meet all the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services licensing regulations and complete the required foster parent training program. If you are married, both partners must complete training and we encourage anybody else living in the home that plans to have a caregiver role.

Read to get started? Sign up here.

If you have a criminal history or history of child abuse and/or neglect, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services will determine if your criminal history allows or prohibits licensure. If you have been convicted of a felony involving abuse and/or neglect of a child, spousal abuse, a crime against a child/children, or a crime of violence you are ineligible to provide foster care. A person who is identified as a perpetrator on the Central Registry or equivalent in any state is ineligible to provide foster care.

If you have been convicted of a felony involving physical assault, battery, or a drug-related offense, you are ineligible to provide foster care for five years after the date of conviction. Any other criminal charges, including driving under the influence (DUI) or misdemeanors in the past five years, will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. If you have been convicted of a crime or crimes that do(es) not otherwise result in ineligibility, then the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services will review the facts and circumstances of the conviction(s) to determine whether you are eligible to provide foster care.

Yes. KVC’s Admissions Department will contact you to request placement of a child in your home, and this is an opportunity for you to ask questions and find out more about the child or children. You may say “No” to a placement for any reason.

If a child in foster care is placed in your home, KVC Nebraska will reimburse you. The reimbursement rate varies and is determined on a case-by-case basis. Reimbursement is paid bi-monthly via direct deposit and meant to subsidize for the care of the child. Each child in the custody of the State of Nebraska will be covered under Medicaid or their family’s private insurance. If a foster family works and requires childcare, their childcare might be covered under Title XX.

We require our foster parents to become actively involved in the work that is done to help a child safely reunify with their birth family. This might involve contact with the family during parent-child visitations, case planning meetings, school meetings and events, court hearings, and many other instances if it is in the best interest of the child and foster family. This topic is covered in more detail during foster parent training. It’s also now a requirement that foster parents make phone contact with the biological parent within 24 hours of a child being placed in their home to let them know their child is with them and in a safe place (unless otherwise directed by the caseworker).

Each foster parent has an assigned Foster Care Specialist that will assist with day-to-day questions and emergencies. We are available 24/7 by phone to assist with non-medical emergencies.

If there is a medical emergency, call 911 right away.

The immediate goal for each child is to reintegrate them into a safe and stable environment with their birth family. The child’s placement in foster care depends on the progress their birth parent(s) makes with the case plan.

Confidentiality laws prohibit us from releasing further information about the child after they leave your care. If the child is subsequently placed in another foster care setting, it is left to the case manager’s discretion as to whether continued contact is in the child’s best interest. If the child is reintegrated with their birth family or adopted, this decision the to the child’s birth or adoptive parent(s).

KVC offers monthly trainings, provides information about community resources. KVC would not be able to provide all these resources without donations from the community. To learn how you can help support foster parents in your community, click here!

Continue reading through to the next section of this FAQ for more information on foster parent training.

If you would like to speak to our Foster Parent Recruitment Coordinator to learn more, sign up today.

If you complete all required trainings, application paperwork, and the home study in a timely manner, you could potentially receive a license to take placement within 30 to 60 days of your application submission to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Sign up for foster parent training today!

Foster Parent Training Requirements

Our most asked questions about the training requirements to become a foster parent to youth in the Nebraska foster care system.

The state of Nebraska requires all potential foster homes to complete a pre-service training called Trauma-Informed Partnering for Safety and Permanency – Model Approach for Partnerships in Parenting (TIPS-MAPP). TIPS-MAPP class is held one time per week for 10 weeks. Each class is mandatory for all adults that will have a parenting role in a foster home. Throughout the course of training, our class leaders will also come to your home to complete home consultations.

Our training classes are FREE and new classes start in Omaha and Lincoln every 4-6 weeks. Classes fill up quickly, so sign up today!

You can also take a look at our blog for more information on foster parent training and stories from real KVC foster families.

TIPS-MAPP class helps build skills for parenting abused and neglected children who have behavioral, emotional, physical and/or educational difficulties. It also helps the participant decide if fostering is right for them and KVC determine if you are able to meet a child’s needs.

All TIPS-MAPP classes are mandatory, although we understand that unforeseen circumstances could potentially arise. Your co-leaders will determine the best way for you to make up the information that you missed, which might include having you make up the class during another TIPS-MAPP session.

Yes. Before you are eligible to receive a foster care license, you will be required to complete Universal Precautions, Verbal de-escalation, Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standards, Healthy Sexual Boundaries and Human Trafficking Prevention. Once you become a licensed foster parent, you will be required to complete continuing education hours. You will be required to complete 12 hours each year. These hours are to be completed prior to renewing your foster care license each year.

KVC offers numerous free trainings throughout the year to make it simple and convenient for foster parents to complete these training hours.

It is recommended to wait to take the TIPS-MAPP course if you are not prepared to become licensed within one year.

No. KVC cannot guarantee placement of foster children. There are many children of all ages waiting for foster homes. KVC works to match the needs of the children with the skills, abilities, and preferences of the foster family. To read more about this matching process, read our blog “How Foster Families Are Matched with Youth and Why It Matters.”

Sign up for our next foster parent training class!

Shared Living Provider Questions

Our most asked questions about becoming a Shared Living provider to care for individuals with disabilities in your home.

The clients utilizing Shared Living services receive a safe and structured home to live in their own room, the necessary level of support as determined on a case-by-case basis, life skills training to increase independence, and introduction and access to community activities to help them form strong community relationships.

KVC Nebraska also has a team of designated professionals to help clients with any mental health/medical questions or concerns 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Shared Living providers offer individuals with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities intensive social and independent living skills training in a family setting. Individuals living with a Shared Living provider help to determine their own goals for habilitation and independence. Additionally, individuals receiving Shared Living services may have a mental health diagnosis and/or severe behavioral impairments that need to be addressed through therapy, behavioral management strategies, or other means that the team deems necessary.

Sign up to learn more about becoming a provider.

You can also take a look at our blog for more information about becoming a Shared Living and stories from real KVC Shared Living providers.

First, we recommend that you read all the information provided in this FAQ to educate you on the full process and requirements for becoming certified. Next, you can complete this form to request a meeting with a KVC Shared Living Program Support Specialist who will answer any additional questions you have and provide you with all of the paperwork you need to complete to begin the process. The required paperwork includes a screening form, background checks, direct deposit dorm, voided check or bank form with routing and accounts numbers, W-9, and a list of references.

Additionally, you will need to provide copies of the following: your driver’s license, current car insurance, homeowner or renter’s insurance, completed E-Verify, and training certificates.

The rest of the process includes:

  1. Online KVC Trainings: You will receive an Shared Living provider binder that includes: Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services regulations, KVC Guidebook (Policies & Procedures), incident reporting information and PowerPoint trainings. You will receive the binder from the KVC Program Support Specialist. You will be emailed links to quizzes over the information in the binder to determine competencies on the topics.
  2. Formal Trainings: Once you have completed the online quizzes with 100% accuracy, KVC’s Training Coordinator will arrange for you to attend the following trainings: MANDT (a two-day training on crisis de-escalation and relationship building), Medication Aide Training, and CPR/First Aid/Universal Precautions.
  3. Home Visit – Walkthrough/Interview: Once all training is complete, a KVC Licensing Specialist will visit your home to conduct a walkthrough and interview to better assess your strengths, limitations, physical environment, experience, knowledge of the client population and support needs.
  4. Reference Checks: KVC will call references from your reference list.
  5. Certification as a Shared Living Provider!

Learn more by reading this blog about the Steps to Become a Shared Living Provider.

Nope. You must be at least 21 years old with a valid driver’s license and/or reliable transportation. We are looking for energetic, caring adults who want to make a positive impact on an individual’s life. You can be single, married, any sexual orientation, a homeowner or apartment renter. Shared Living providers are eligible to serve up to two individuals in their home. Each individual must have their own room.

Everyone living in your home must undergo an initial background check and then annually. You will also need to meet all the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services certification requirements and complete the required training program. If you are married, both partners must complete training as well as anyone else living in the home that plans to have a caregiver role.

If you’re ready to sign up for training, click here.

If you have a criminal history or history of child abuse and/or neglect, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services regulations will determine if your criminal history allows or prohibits certification. If you have been convicted of a felony involving abuse and/or neglect of a child, spousal abuse, a crime against a child/children, or a crime of violence you are ineligible to be a Shared Living provider. A person who is identified as a perpetrator on the Central Registry or equivalent in any state is ineligible to be a Shared Living provider.

Shared Living Providers need:

  • a desktop or laptop computer with internet access
  • general computer knowledge such as, but not limited to, learning new systems, sending emails, adding attachments to emails, etc.
  • a functioning home phone or cell phone
  • access to a functioning printer
  • access to a functioning scanner or the ability to download the free AdobeScan app

Per KVC policy, Shared Living subcontractors are not allowed to subcontract with other agencies and/or provide Shared Living services to individuals not receiving oversight with KVC. This policy is in place to ensure accurate and timely care coordination, reducing communication issues that may arise, reducing confusion related to differing policies and expectations, and reducing the risk of placing individuals that may not be compatible in the same home.

An exception to this would be if you are providing Shared Living services through KVC or another agency while being a licensed foster home with a different agency. In that case, all current placements and/or possible Shared Living or foster care placements should be disclosed to KVC before placement. The client’s team always has a right to refuse services in your home if they are not comfortable with another individual living in the home.

Timelines for placement are hard to determine. Much of the determination for placement is based on the individual’s supervision, support, and habilitation needs and the experience, skills, ability, and willingness of your home to provide what is needed. Other factors that often influence placements are guardian specifications, home location, medical needs, the need for handicap accessible housing, etc. Referrals can be received frequently for a period of time and then ebb off for a period of time and quantities vary.

Yes. KVC will contact you to either request placement of an individual in your home or to schedule a “meet and greet” with the individual and their guardian. This is an opportunity for you to ask questions and find out more about the individual. You may say “No” to a placement for any reason. Placements are usually mutually agreed upon so the individual and their guardian have as much say in the process as the provider, and an individual can deny you as the provider.

This varies greatly for each client, but the goal for Shared Living placements is that the individual would be with you long-term and/or until they have met their habilitation goals for a more independent living situation.

Providers are reimbursed by KVC for the provision of habilitation services, supervision, and support which is paid on the 10th and 25th of each month. The amount of reimbursement is determined by the intensity and severity of supervision, support, and habilitation/behavioral needs to the individual being served and is predetermined by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services prior to placement. Reimbursement typically ranges from $60-$300 per day.

The individual being supported contributes to the provider’s costs via a room and board payment. Typically, individuals in KVC’s care pay $600 per month but this amount can vary. This payment accounts for their portion of the living space, food, and household utilities. If the individual requires or desires additional utilities (i.e., an extra tier of cable) their room and board can be adjusted when the team is in agreement. The room and board fees do not apply to individuals that are contracted through a letter of agreement (LOA) with Probation or Child and Family Services.

For youth in foster care needing the support of a Shared Living provider, all other costs and expenses the individual incurs (i.e., food, hygiene items, after-school programs, participation in outings and activities, etc.) are included in the reimbursement rate and paid for by the Shared Living provider.

The certification process to become a Shared Living provider with KVC can vary depending on recruitment needs, training needs, schedule availability for trainings, etc.

Alternate care provides a short-term break when the provider needs time away from the individual being served or can’t provide care for a period of time. Alternate care can be arranged when the Shared Living provider is going out of town, has personal matters to attend to, or just needs a break for self-care. KVC staff is more than happy to assist providers in finding alternate care options from within our pool of Shared Living providers. Alternate care providers must have background checks completed and have gone through the Shared Living provider training with KVC before providing care for an individual in KVC services.

Support staff is also an option for Shared Living providers and assist in caring for the client. Support staff are expected to comply with the same background check and KVC training requirements that Shared Living providers must complete prior to providing care for an individual. A spouse, or other competent individual living in the home, would need to be approved as a support staff prior to independently providing care for the individual in the home.

This is typically determined by the individual’s team and communicated to the Shared Living provider. If an individual is allowed alone time in the community, or for extended periods of time, it is noted in the Individual Support Plan created by the client’s Services Coordinator.

For youth in the foster care system living in a Shared Living provider’s home, this is typically determined on a case-by-case basis. Reasonable and Prudent Parenting Standards apply.

A Shared Living provider is not able to deny the individual contact or visits with family for any reason, including as a consequence for challenging behaviors. Parameters around family visits (phone calls, supervised/unsupervised, location, etc.) are determined by the individual’s ISP team to include the service coordinator, case manager, guardian, and/or the judge assigned to the case.

In most cases, the Shared Living provider is responsible for transporting the individual to appointments, school/vocational programs, and any other activities outside of the home. While we understand that things may come up, please contact your Shared Living Specialist if you are not able to provide transportation to a necessary appointment, school/vocational program, etc. due to a special circumstance.

Click here to sign up for more information about becoming a Shared Living provider.

Typically, clients coming into care will have their own bed, bedroom furniture, and other personal belongings. For youth in the foster care system living with a Shared Living provider, they typically do not have a bed, furniture, or other major personal belongings. These items will need to be supplied and provided by the provider.

Shared Living providers are required to provide habilitation and/or behavioral interventions and electronically document daily progress on goals set by KVC staff. These goals are based on the needs and desires of the individual being served. Daily documentation is done electronically and is required in order for KVC to bill for services, which also makes it a requirement for the provider to be reimbursed for their services. Once an individual is placed in your home, your assigned Shared Living Specialist will train you on the required daily documentation.

Once you have an individual placed in your home, you will be assigned a Shared Living Specialist to provide any support needed 24/7. We do ask that you do your best to keep non-emergent calls to Shared Living Specialists limited to regular business hours Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. In the case of an emergency, you can contact your Shared Living Specialist. Our Shared Living Specialists are on a rotating on-call schedule for weekends so there is always someone available to assist.

KVC Nebraska also has a team of designated professionals to help clients with any mental health/medical questions or concerns 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.