What are the regulations for child-caring facilities?
Follow these links to review regulations for child-caring facilities and see a list of facilities currently licensed by DCF.
- Regulations for operating child-caring agencies and facilities
- Regulations (continued) for child-caring facilities
- Statutes for child-caring facilities
- All DCF regulations
- Child-caring agencies and facilities licensed by DCF
State definitions of child-caring facilities:
Group homes: These facilities provide long-term community-based placement and work to reunify children with their families, transition them to long-term foster care, or transition them to independent living. The children generally receive outpatient clinical and medical services and attend a public or private school program arranged by the child’s school district. DCF licenses these types of group homes
- Therapeutic group homes: These homes serve children with significant behavioral health or developmental issues. Clinical services are provided in the home by licensed mental health professionals. Psychotropic medication use is monitored onsite by a psychiatrist employed by the licensee. Limited nursing services are provided in the home. The children receive well-child and ongoing care for medical issues from community providers.
- SWET group homes: Supported Work Education and Training (SWET) group homes allow youth to live in a supervised independent living setting with other youth. Residents do their own shopping, cooking, and cleaning. Staff help them develop life skills. Residents go to community clinical and medical providers and attend public school or other educational settings arranged by their school district.
Residential treatment center: These facilities provide long-term placement and onsite clinical treatment for psychiatric, behavioral, and emotional disorders. Facility nurses and staff provide medical services. All other medical care is provided by hospitals and community-based medical professionals. The facilities also provide educational services that follow procedures developed jointly by DCF and the State Department of Education (SDE).
Residential education facility: These facilities provide long-term housing and onsite special educational services. The onsite school must be certified by the SDE as a special education school. Facility nurses and child-care staff provide some medical services.
Temporary shelter: These facilities meet short-term emergency placement needs. The team works to stabilize, assess, and prepare children for more permanent placements. Residents receive outpatient clinical and medical services. They also get short-term in-house tutoring or attend public or private school programs arranged by their school district. DCF licenses this type of short-term emergency placement program:
- STAR homes: Short-term assessment and respite (STAR) homes are for children removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or other high-risk circumstances. They provide short-term care, assessment, and many clinical and nursing services. Staff provide sensitive, empathic care in a routine of daily activities similar to a nurturing family structure. Residents receive assessment services, educational support, and care coordination based on where they’ll go next, including their family, foster care, or congregate care.