Pathways to Permanency

At the center of everything we do is one belief: young people thrive when they have permanent, caring family connections. These connections are possible because of families who open their homes and hearts to support youth, no matter which pathway they take. 

Explore the pathways below and see how you can be part of this work. 

Short-Term, Safe Haven

Respite Care offers short-term support to help current foster families recharge. Respite caregivers welcome a youth into their home for a few days at a time, giving the child’s full-time caregiver a chance to rest, tend to other responsibilities, or take care of their own well-being. 

Respite homes are a vital part of the foster care community. They help prevent burnout, strengthen placement stability, and give youth a safe, supportive space to land. This is a great option for families who want to make a difference in a flexible, meaningful way. 

Traditional Foster Care

Standard Treatment Foster Care (STFC)  offers children and teens a safe, consistent place to land live while plans are made for their future. Many of these youth are working toward reunification with their families, and foster families play a critical role in supporting that process. When reunification isn’t possible, caregivers may also help the team identify and support other long-term permanency options that meet the youth’s needs. 

Foster to Adopt

Every youth’s journey begins with the hope of reunification with their family of origin. That will always be the first goal. At the same time, the court and child welfare system may also prepare another permanency plan, such as adoption, so a youth doesn’t have to wait longer than necessary for stability and care. 

For families, this is called Concurrent Planning. It means you may welcome a youth into your home as a foster family while also being considered as a permanent adoptive option if reunification is not possible. This approach helps shorten a youth’s time in foster care and opens the door to lasting family connections. 

Specialized Care

Complex Care, also known as Enhanced Care, is a short-term, in-home program for youth with high emotional or behavioral needs who might otherwise be placed in a group or residential setting. Instead, they’re matched with specially trained foster families who can provide structure, patience, and a healing home environment. 

The goal is to help youth stabilize, receive individualized support, and take steps toward a more permanent or less intensive living situation. Families work closely with a team of professionals who provide reliable support, crisis response, and specialized training to help them meet the youth’s needs. 

This program includes Enhanced Intensive Services Foster Care (EISFC), Emergency EISFC, and Intensive Transitional Youth Placement Services (ITYPS) offered in partnership with Sacramento County Child Welfare to respond quickly to youth in crisis and support their long-term well-being. 

Foster families are the foundation of this work—offering connection, safety, and care when it’s needed most. 

Intensive Services Foster Care is a supportive foster care option for youth who need more than traditional care but not as much as Complex Care. These youth may be working through emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges and benefit from a stable, structured home with a caregiver who is open, patient, and supportive. 

ISFC foster families receive extra training, monthly support groups, and ongoing coaching to help them feel confident in meeting youth where they are. A higher reimbursement rate is also provided to reflect the level of care. 

We encourage all families to consider becoming ISFC-approved. It allows for greater flexibility in matching youth with homes that are equipped to meet their individual needs. 

Kinship Support Services

Kinship Support Services helps kin and other non-related extended family members to navigate the Foster Family Approval process to support a specific foster youth known to them. Through the process, Kinship Support Services provides them with information, community resources, education, and other services focused on Kinship Care. helps relatives) and close family friends—known as kin or NREFM (non-related extended family members)—who are stepping in to care for a child they already know and love. Our team walks alongside kinship caregivers as they navigate the Foster Family Approval (RFA) process, offering one-on-one support every step of the way. 

We provide guidance, community resources, and education tailored to the unique experience of kinship care. Whether kin are just starting the approval process or already caring for a youth, we’re here to make sure they feel informed, supported, and connected.