Montana Foster Care Independence Program

Independent Living/ Transitional Living Program

Basic Center Program

Tumbleweed Runaway and Homeless Youth Basic Center Program provides emergency services to youth and their families through times of conflict and crisis.

Tumbleweed’s services are free of charge and include:

Crisis intervention

Emergency shelter

Family mediation

Adolescent support groups

Information, advocacy, and referral to other community services

Parenting support

Assistance with runaway youth and reuniting them with their parents

Tumbleweed’s crisis counseling and emergency placement services are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days per week.

Parenting Classes/Support Groups

Founders: Jim Fay and Foster Cline, MD

“Becoming a Love & Logic Parent” parenting class is a program offering practical, easy to use techniques, dialogue, and support; designed to put the fun back into parenting. This approach to raising kids provides loving support from parents while, at the same time, expecting kids to be respectful and responsible.

Parents learn how to take control without anger. Parent chilled relationships are enhanced family life becomes less strained, and we have time to enjoy our kids, instead of feeling used by them or being transformed from parent to policeman.

Classes are offered quarterly and are two hours per session for a total of six sessions. A nominal fee covers the cost of materials.

“I have learned many tools to help me become a better parent and to allow my stress level to stay down”

“I was very frustrated before I went to the class, but after I attended, I was able to see how to handle the problems I was having”

Adolescent Support Groups

Tumbleweed offers support groups for junior high and high school aged students. The groups are offered weekly, free of charge and facilitated by a Tumbleweed counselor in order to provide the following:

A safe, confidential environment for sharing and problem solving

An opportunity to gain support from peers

A chance to be heard and validated in a caring and encouraging manner

Montana Foster Care Independence Program

Mission:

To assist Montana’s foster youth in gaining the necessary life skills to make a successful transition into adult community living by providing a variety of services to youth and those who work with them.

The Independence Program serves youth, ages 16 to 21, who meet the definition of foster care and remain in a foster care setting, have “aged out” of foster care, or are under the care and custody of Tribal Courts. The Independence Program assists youth in developing the skills necessary to live successfully as adults in their community.

Services include:

Youth-focused transitional living plans

Life skills assessment

Mentoring Services

Resource material

Life skills group

Stipends/Room and board money

Educational training voucher

Satellite offices are located in Great Falls, Missoula, Helena, and Butte.

Independent Living/ Transitional Living Program

Our Independent Living/Transitional Living Program is designed to provide a safe, supportive residential living environment where youth are able to develop skills that will enable them to successfully make the transition into self-sufficiency.

Objectives:

Provide housing, supervision, and instruction necessary for independent living.

Provide structure, nurturance, supervision, skill building activities, and instruction for the development of personal competency, and a sense of belonging

Provide support services to enable youth to complete education and secure employment

Provide education regarding issues such as sexual and physical abuse, drug/alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases

Assist youth in accessing exiting community services appropriate to individual needs.

Provide a caring adult who will encourage, support and guide the teen in accomplishing independence

Assess the independent living skills of each teen at the beginning and end of the program to prove goal achievement

We welcome referrals of teens who are motivated to live on their own, between the ages of 16 and 18, employed or working towards employment and enrolled in an educational program.

Street Outreach Program

The Street Outreach Program is designed to reach out to runaway, homeless, and street youth between the ages of 10 to 21 years old. Outreach workers meet youth where they are and encourage to make healthier decisions while providing the necessary support services to affect lifestyle changes. We do this through:

Providing care packets, advocacy, and emergency transportation services for youth on the streets

Promoting safety through education and exposure through popular media and community events

Developing trust relationships with high-risk youth by addressing their immediate needs and helping them to make positive choice

There are a variety of avenues through which this program provides outreach

Street Beat: Ensuring safe neighborhoods and providing accessible help for youth needing to get off the streets. Outreach workers utilize a minivan and bikes looking for runaway youth seeking shelter in abandoned buildings, cars, and alleyways. The Van is stocked with food, water, blankets, and care packets to meet the youths’ immediate needs.

Outreach: Reaching out to youth where they "hang out" including: skate park, corner pocket, and various other locations where youth tend to congregate to provide services and build rapport.

Lunch Bunch: Feeding and building trust with outcast youth who hang out in alleyways during the school lunch hours.