STAR Program

In our Birmingham program, Alabama MENTOR partners with Jefferson County through its STAR (Short Term Assessment and Respite) program. Through this program, our staff provide assessments for children in foster care with unique challenges, such as those entering foster care for the first time or whose previous placements have not been successful, to determine the services that will best meet their needs.

Alabama MENTOR foster parents provide short-term care for these children and help clinical staff assess their needs by observing behavior patterns and helping make recommendations for placement. This process helps us identify the course of action that will help the child thrive, whether that means Therapeutic Foster Care, treatment in a residential facility, or returning to the biological family.

Foster parents participating in the STAR program complete skill development to enable them to support these children’s unique needs. They are available to welcome a child into their home on short notice, providing much-needed stability and support for a child at a time of crisis. They are also able to work with the biological family to help a child transition back home, if appropriate.