What is a Host
Home?
A Host Home
is a household that voluntarily opens their heart and home to a youth who needs
temporary shelter, board and care. When youths cannot return home and are not
under the supervision of Department of Children and Families (DCF), they need
short-term host home care.
Who are the youth?Host Homes care for Greater Bridgeport boys and girls
between 11 and 17 who are having significant family or personal difficulties
that make staying in their own home overly stressful or unhealthy. They are not
known to have severe emotional or behavior problems, or to be heavily involved
with drugs or alcohol.
How do Host Homes help?When a young person contacts The Janus
Center,
an outreach worker, along with the youth, determines whether a host home is
appropriate. Necessary parental or guardian permission is obtained. The Host
Home is then contacted and arrangements are made. During the youth’s stay,
the outreach worker will be in regular contact with the youth, his/her parents
or guardian, and the Host Home Family to seek ways of reconciling the problems
which resulted in the youth’s leaving home.
How long do they
stay?The youth
may be in the Host Home from one day to three weeks. After that, the youth will
return home, or alternative living arrangements will be made.
Expectations
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The parents or guardians are legally
responsible for their youth, not the Host Home Family or The Janus
Center. Parents or legal guardians have complete responsibility for any medical
or financial needs that arise for their child.
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A Host Family is expected to provide
shelter and regular meals for the youth. They are not expected to provide for
financial needs that may arise, nor to be counselors or doctors.
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The youth must comply with the house
rules of the Host Home.
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The youth is expected to share in a
reasonable part of the household chores.
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While in Host Home care, youths agree
to abstain from the use of drugs or alcohol.
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Your help is needed!To meet the needs of youth in
crisis, the Janus Center
maintains two
host home residences. The Center also seeks Host Homes in the community to
provide occasional care.
Janus Center trains and supervises these Host Home households to
care for youth between the ages of 11-17.
Host Homes enable The Janus
Center to assist more youth by supplying additional secure, caring
sites.
Host Homes help
youth in crisis, giving personal attention, nurture and love in a personal,
family atmosphere.
Households must meet the following requirements to become a
Host Home:
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Be over 21 years of age, single or
married
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Own or rent a home
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Participate in required
training
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Be emotionally and financially
stable
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Give written permission for a
background check through the State of Connecticut and the Department of
Children & Families
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Open heart and home to provide
discipline, care and love
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Persons or families who are interested in
giving troubled youth their time, concern and love, and in sharing their home
for a short time, please contact:
Janus
Center for
Youth In Crisis
203.333.6019
If you
are interested in more information on Janus
Center, please email
daleholder@ccbg.org.
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HOST HOMES PDF
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