Become an Alternative Care Provider for Your Family!

Support Team members have new opportunities to provide support to foster families by becoming Alternative Care Providers. Alternative Care Providers, also called Natural Support Providers, can provide up to 72 consecutive hours of care, with a maximum of 7 days care each month. What could this mean to a family? Easier access to respite care for the child with people they know and trust!

• A weekend get-away without the kids
• A break from driving to and from appointments
• An opportunity for children to enjoy a sleep-over 
• A space to work on needed home or personal care projects​​

An Alternative Care Provider is an individual with whom the foster parent has a personal association or relationship such as a family member, friend or relationship developed through participation in clubs, organizations and other civic activities. Alternative Care providers must be familiar with the child/youth placed in foster care and be at least 18 years of age.

​How can you become an Alternative Care Provider for a foster family?

• Talk with the family about how they would utilize an Alternative Care Provider
• Ask the family to contact their certifying agency for specific information*
• Complete the Alternative Care Provider Consent form
• Complete a background check for all adults residing in your home (done by certifying agency)
• Provide driver’s license, insurance information and car registration

*Requirements may vary by certifying agency.