Intensive Treatment in Foster Care

ITFC is flexible, intensive mental health services available to children living in or at-risk of entering foster care. The service offers a structured, consistent, strengths-based process provided by a clinician to children and their families for the purpose of treating the child's social, emotional and behavioral-health needs.

ITFC is provided to a child, foster parent, foster family, biological or pre-adoptive family and anyone who is a part of the child’s treatment of service team. It is a Medicaid service benefit available to children living in foster care who are assessed at a CASII or ECSII Level 4 or higher. Children living in a foster care placement will receive through this service a comprehensive extended assessment, psychotherapy services, crisis assistance, clinical care consultation and psycho-education services. All services coordinated with the child’s treatment team and billed for payment under Minnesota Health Care Programs (MA).

Counties complete a CASII Assessment, make an ITFC referral to a certified agency and with the agency develop a Service Provision Contract for each youth referred. Services are typically provided 3 days a week for a total of about 6 hours each week with 24/7 on-call phone support.

To make a referral, call 763.780.3036.

Download the Lee Carlson Center - ITFC Brochure