FOSTER CARE SUPPORT
Foster Care Supports
WE NEED A FEW LINES ABOUT WHAT FOSTER CARE SUPPORT IS, NO?
OUR PROGRAMS
FOSTER CARE & FAMILY PERMANENCY
FOSTER CARE
Enhanced Family Foster Care (EFFC)
Specialized Family Foster Care (SFFC)
Kinship Family Placements
Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP)
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FOSTER CARE SUPPORT
Wendy's Wonderful Kids
Harmony Health
The Journey Program
Education
Housing
Coaching
Career Services
Youth Employment Services
Mentored Internship Program
Purpose and Progress Initiative
Autism Center for Excellence
Foster Parent Training & Support
Parent Advocates
Wendy’s Wonderful Kids
(edited copy): Wendy's Wonderful Kids at Catholic Guardian Services helps children in New York City foster care build lasting connections with relatives, trusted adults, and other supportive people who can remain part of their lives over time.
Using an intensive, child-focused family-finding approach, dedicated staff learn about each young person’s history, relationships, and existing networks to identify adults who may provide meaningful support and connection.
The program is especially focused on children who may have spent extended time in foster care or who have fewer permanent connections. By rebuilding and strengthening important relationships, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids helps young people develop a greater sense of belonging, stability, and lifelong support. Top ⌃
Our Foster Care Support Includes:
Harmony Health
Harmony Health is Catholic Guardian Services’ Article 29-I health program for children in foster care, providing coordinated support for medical, behavioral health, and developmental needs. Our team works with children, foster parents, families, healthcare providers, and care teams to help ensure health needs are identified, monitored, and addressed in a consistent and connected way.
Through Article 29-I services, Harmony Health helps coordinate care across providers and systems, reduce gaps in treatment, and support healthy development and overall well-being. Foster parents and families receive guidance and support as they navigate a child’s healthcare needs, helping promote greater stability and continuity of care throughout their time in foster care. Top ⌃
Harmony Health is licensed by the New York State Department of Health under Article 29-I of the Public Health Law.
Journey Program
The Journey Program supports young people with experience in foster care as they prepare for adulthood. Through coaching, education, housing support, career services, and connections to caring adults, young people build the skills, confidence, and support networks needed to pursue their goals and navigate greater independence.
Education
Journey helps young people stay engaged in school, overcome educational barriers, and plan for what comes next. Support may include academic guidance, high school completion, college planning, vocational training, and connections to educational resources.
Housing
Journey helps young people prepare for safe, stable housing as they transition into adulthood. Staff provide guidance with housing planning, applications, resources, and the practical skills needed to maintain greater independence and stability.
Coaching
Dedicated coaches provide consistent, individualized support as young people work toward their personal goals. Coaches help youth build life skills, navigate challenges, make informed decisions, and strengthen the relationships and confidence that support long-term success. Top ⌃
The Journey Program is Catholic Guardian Services' Fair Futures program, New York City's coaching model for young people in foster care, funded by the New York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS).
Autism Center for Excellence (ACE)
Children with autism and other developmental needs are represented in foster care at higher rates than the general population, and navigating multiple systems can make an already difficult transition even more complex for children and the families caring for them. Catholic Guardian Services created the Autism Center for Excellence to bring greater understanding, coordination, and specialized support to children with developmental needs in foster care.
ACE works alongside children, parents, foster parents, and care teams to connect families to assessments, developmental and behavioral supports, educational advocacy, caregiver guidance, and other individualized services. By surrounding both the child and the adults who care for them with the right support, ACE helps strengthen stability, build caregiver confidence, and create environments where children are understood for their strengths and have greater opportunities to thrive. Top ⌃
Is there a sponsoring agency for Autism Center for Excellence (ACE)?
Parent Advocates
Navigating the foster care system can be overwhelming for parents, particularly when they are also working through the circumstances that led to their child’s placement. Parent Advocates provide families with guidance, encouragement, and practical support so parents better understand the process, know what to expect, and feel more confident participating in decisions about their children.
Drawing on lived experience and a deep understanding of the child welfare system, Parent Advocates help families identify resources, communicate with service teams, and stay engaged in reunification planning. Their role is to strengthen parents’ voices, reduce barriers, and help families move toward greater stability and stronger relationships. Top ⌃
Is there a sponsoring agency for Parent Advocates?
Career Services
Journey connects young people to career exploration, employment preparation, internships, and other opportunities that help them build skills and move toward meaningful employment. Career services include targeted programs that provide hands-on experience, mentorship, and pathways toward long-term career goals.
Youth Employment Services
Youth Employment Services supports young people ages 14 and older as they begin exploring the world of work. The program helps youth identify career interests, develop job-readiness skills, prepare resumes and applications, practice interviewing, and connect to employment opportunities that build confidence and early work experience.
Mentored Internship Program
The Mentored Internship Program gives young people hands-on work experience paired with guidance and mentorship, helping them build professional skills, confidence, and connections as they prepare for future employment.
Purpose and Progress Initiative (PPI)
Purpose and Progress Initiative is Catholic Guardian Services’ own career-readiness model for young people ages 17 and older who are interested in pathways beyond a traditional four-year college experience. PPI helps participants explore vocational training, credential programs, workforce opportunities, and career pathways through individualized coaching, skill development, and practical planning focused on meaningful employment and long-term economic stability. Top ⌃
Catholic Guardian Services delivers Youth Employment Services and the Mentored Internship Program through the Journey Program, its Fair Futures program funded by the New York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS).
Is there a sponsoring agency for PPI?
Foster Parent Training & Support
Foster parents play an essential role in providing children with stability, care, and connection during times of transition. Catholic Guardian Services provides comprehensive training and ongoing support to help foster parents feel prepared, informed, and confident as they care for children with a wide range of experiences and needs.
Support continues beyond initial certification and includes guidance from our teams, ongoing education, resources, and individualized assistance as challenges arise. We work closely with foster parents to strengthen their skills, respond to each child’s needs, support important family relationships, and create nurturing home environments where children can feel safe, supported, and connected. Top ⌃
Foster parent certification, training, and support are provided as part of Catholic Guardian Services' ACS foster care contracts.