Department of Children and Families Services

Intensive Foster Care

The LUK Intensive Foster Care program provides a network of skilled foster homes that meet the Department of Early Education and Care (DEEC) credentialing guidelines for both Skill Level 1 and Skill Level 2, coupled with a service team, consisting of a Case Manager and Family Resource Specialist, that is designed to meet the individual needs of the child/youth, and his/her family. This program provides placement services to children/youth whose placement needs are not sufficiently met within a traditional foster care setting. The program provides the referred youth, the family, and the treatment team with the opportunity to individualize services to best meet the youth and family’s needs. The program provides foster homes that can meet these unique needs, from homes which specialize in short-term placements, both in times of emergency or as transitional placements, to homes that can provide long-term placement options for youth as well as homes that understand the special needs of youth aging out of the DCF system. These foster homes can also function in the roles of a mentor or sponsor.

Department of Youth Services

Traditional Foster Care

LUK provides traditional foster care to youth involved with the Department of Youth Services (DYS). As part of that primary service, youth and families involved in the program are provided case management, vocational/education support, treatment, discharge planning, and service linkage. The array of secondary program components that are also available to these youth and families include 24-hour emergency on-call teams, crisis management, and monitoring of medication, recreation/leisure time activities, and transportation. All youth are referred by and receive services from the Central Massachusetts Region of DYS and are placed in foster homes located in this area.

Intensive Foster Care

This intensive foster care program contracted by the Department of Youth Services (DYS) provides service to youth between the ages of 12 and 18 who are stepping down from a locked facility to Intensive Foster Care. The program provides a structured environment for the youth to re-enter the community with supportive services such as counseling and educational support. The youth and foster homes are provided with case management as well as direct supervision of the homes. DYS Intensive Foster Care provides highly structured foster care settings for children with significant social, educational and mental health needs. 

Kinship Homes

LUK’s kinship program provides services to DYS for relative caregivers and the dependent children placed in their homes by the juvenile court, and to those who are at risk of delinquency. Kinship care is the full-time parenting of a child by relatives or by adults to whom a child, the child's parents, and family members attribute a “family” relationship. Kinship families may be related by blood, marriage or adoption or may be no relation to the child, but have family ties based on culture, affection or family values.

For more information please contact: 800-579-0000 and ask to speak with the Director of Community Placement or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.