IMPROVING ADJUSTMENT OUTCOMES FOR FOSTER-CHILDREN WITH EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL-DISORDERS - EARLY FINDINGS FROM A CONTROLLED-STUDY ON INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICES

This study was a community-based, controlled experiment to evaluate th e efficacy of the Fostering Individualized Assistance Program (FIAP), which was driven by permanency (i.e., a stable placement in a supporti ve family) and family-focused values and involved the wrapping of serv ices around children, based on their individual needs and those of the ir families. The services and supports were intensely case managed to ensure that these could be adjusted as children's situations and needs changed. The study involved a comparison of 132 children in foster ca re with, or at risk for, emotional and behavioral disorders, who were randomly assigned to the FIAP program or to a group that received stan dard-practice foster care. A description of the FIAP intervention and a report of preliminary results that support the efficacy of the FIAP strategy in improving the emotional and behavioral adjustment of child ren in foster care are presented.