Family Team Decision-Making Meeting (FTDM)

For Washington State pre adoptive and foster families FTDM's are a common meeting that most will be involved in at some point. The purpose of an FTDM is to bring the team back together and focus on the needs of the youth. They are not placement decision meetings, nor are they meetings to raise complaints about others on the team.

Who attends these meetings?
 
Depending upon the case, placement and what needs to be addressed, the following individuals may be invited to attend an FTDM:
  • Biological parent(s) or family member
  • Youth (depending upon age and situation)
  • Current foster home
  • Current pre-adoptive home
  • Your agency representative
  • Current child caseworker
  • Child caseworker supervisor
  • Tribal representative (for Tribal children)
  • DLR representative(s)
  • CASA or youth's lawyer
  • Therapist
  • School representative
  • A.G's representative
  • Biological family legal representative
  • Family or youth advocate, i.e. Families Like Ours
Each FTDM is facilitated by a trained professional who will outline the meeting, its goals and ground rules at the start of the meeting. That facilitator is in charge of the FTDM and can stop the meeting if the ground rules are not followed.
 
All FTDM team members are there at the meeting to focus on the youth's needs (yes I know we've said that twice in this document – that's on purpose). Expect that each team member maybe assigned tasks during this meeting, even the youth (where and when appropriate).
 
An FTDM may also be called to discuss the current placement of the youth, and its appropriateness to meeting the youth's needs. If a current placement is not in compliance with case requirements or court orders, an FTDM may also be called to discuss those matters and develop solutions.
 
The attached document is produced from Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, it does a very good job in describing the purpose of an FTDM.
 
How can FLO be involved in an FTDM?
 
FLO maybe involved in a case because the youth or family is in our SAFE project, DSHS, Tribe, CASA or placement agency may request we attend, or a family may request someone from FLO attend FTDM meeting's.
 
If you need a representative of Families Like Ours at your FTDM, please contact us to make that request. We will do our best to arrange someone for the meeting but understand we are not able to be at all FTDM's due to scheduling conflicts.
 
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