Emergency Reception Homes (ERH)
Emergency Reception Homes offers a safe, compassionate, and welcoming environment for youth and sibling groups ages 0–18 who are entering the foster care system for the first time or experiencing an unexpected placement disruption. These homes serve as a temporary bridge while a stable and nurturing foster home is identified, or the youth’s home situation is stabilized.
Our Services
NYAP licenses, supports, and partners with our network of trauma informed foster homes, who provide stable, family-like environments for youth with high acuity needs. Our Emergency Reception Homes are available 24/7 and operate on a no-decline basis, ensuring every youth has a safe place to go when they need it most. Within these homes, our highly trained employees deliver vital services, including:
Intake & initial assessment
Crisis stabilization services
Trauma-informed therapeutic support
Discharge planning tailored to each youth’s needs
Transitional services to home, kinship care, or long-term foster care
Length of Stay
Youth & Siblings Groups New to Care - 0 to 10 days
Youth Who Have Experienced A Placement Disruption - 0 to 3 days
In certain cases, an extended stay in an ERH may be necessary to support a youth’s clinical, emotional, or placement stability. In these situations, on a case-by-case basis, NYAP will collaborate with the placement agency to ensure youth and sibling groups are appropriately cared for until a permanent placement is identified.
What Makes Us Different
Our Emergency Reception Home services are designed to strengthen families and promote long-term success for youth by:
Reduce unnecessary placements
Supporting timely and safe family reunification
Stabilize current foster care placements
Encouraging healthy youth development
Ensuring the safety, permanency, & well-being of youth and sibling groups
Emergency Reception Home Foster Parent Qualifications
Be a licensed foster parent & pass all required state and NYAP background checks
Receive prior approval from your state’s child welfare department
Complete all state and NYAP-required pre-service & ongoing monthly training
Support a shared or co-parenting model & be open to parent and sibling visitation as outlined in the youth’s case plan
Agree to the terms and conditions of our ERH program
