Licensed Child-Placing Agency · Texas

A safe, loving home for Houston's most medically fragile children.

We train and stand beside foster and adoptive families who open their homes to children with complex medical needs, with round-the-clock clinical coordination so no family ever cares alone.

24/7 nurse on call
Specialized medical training
STAR Health coordination
Since 2009

640+

Medically fragile children placed in loving Houston-area homes

Trained & certified

310+

Foster families equipped for complex medical care

Nurse support

24/7

On-call clinical guidance, every hour of every day

Continuity of care

96%

Of placements kept in stable, matched homes

Who we are

Specialized foster care for children medicine alone can't heal.

Care Plus Advantage is a state-licensed Child-Placing Agency serving Greater Houston. We exist for the children other systems find hardest to place: infants leaving the NICU on oxygen, toddlers with feeding tubes, kids managing seizure disorders, and teens navigating chronic illness.

These children don't only need medical management. They need someone to learn their care by heart, to sit with them at 2 a.m., and to call home. Our work is finding those people, preparing them thoroughly, and never leaving them to do it alone.

We recruit, license, and train foster and adoptive families, then wrap each home in a coordinated network of nurses, caseworkers, therapists, and Medicaid managed-care partners so that medical complexity never becomes a barrier to belonging.

“
The first night home, our nurse walked us through every alarm on the monitor by phone. By week three, we knew his care better than we ever thought we could.
Renée & Marcus T.Medical foster parents · Spring, TX
What we do

Services built around the whole child.

From a first placement to a forever family, we walk with children and caregivers through every stage of medically supported care.

Primary Medical Needs Foster Care

Placement in homes trained for children with severe, life-threatening, or chronic conditions requiring daily skilled care.

  • Trach, ventilator & oxygen support
  • G-tube and specialized feeding
  • Seizure and medication management

Medical Adoption

For families ready to make it permanent, we guide the journey from foster placement to legal adoption, including children with lifelong needs.

  • Foster-to-adopt pathways
  • Post-adoption medical planning
  • Subsidy & benefits navigation

Respite & Kinship Care

Short-term, fully trained relief care that lets caregivers rest, plus dedicated support for relatives raising a medically fragile child.

  • Planned & emergency respite
  • Kinship licensing assistance
  • Caregiver wellbeing support

Family Training Academy

Hands-on, nurse-led certification so every caregiver walks into placement confident, not overwhelmed.

  • Pre-service & condition-specific tracks
  • CPR, first aid & equipment training
  • Ongoing continuing education

Care Coordination

A single point of contact who keeps specialists, therapists, schools, and health plans working from the same page.

  • Appointment & therapy scheduling
  • STAR Health / managed-care liaison
  • School & IEP advocacy

24/7 Nurse Line

When something feels off at midnight, a pediatric nurse who knows the child's case picks up, before it becomes an emergency.

  • Round-the-clock triage
  • Medication & symptom guidance
  • Rapid escalation to on-call staff
The Circle of Care

No family carries the weight alone.

Every child we place sits at the center of four layers of support that move together. When one layer notices a need, the whole circle responds.

The Foster Family

Trained, licensed, and matched to the child's specific needs. The constant, loving presence at the center of it all.

The Clinical Team

Pediatric nurses, therapists, and a 24/7 line that turns medical complexity into a plan the family can follow.

Our Agency

A dedicated caseworker coordinating training, visits, benefits, and every moving part of the child's care.

The Community

Schools, specialists, health plans, and peer support that help each child grow up seen, included, and thriving.

Who we serve

Children whose care can't wait for an ordinary home.

We specialize in conditions that require skilled, attentive daily care. You don't need to know how to manage these yet; that's what our training is for.

Respiratory support

Tracheostomy, ventilator dependence, and supplemental oxygen.

Feeding & nutrition

G-tubes, NG tubes, TPN, and specialized feeding regimens.

Neurological conditions

Seizure disorders, cerebral palsy, and developmental needs.

Chronic illness

Cardiac conditions, diabetes, kidney disease, and more.

Medically fragile infants

NICU graduates and premature babies needing close monitoring.

Complex & palliative care

Multiple diagnoses, rare conditions, and comfort-focused care.

Every child arrives with a full care profile and an individualized plan. Placements are made only when a home is trained and equipped for that child's specific needs, never before.

Becoming a medical foster parent

Five steps, and a team beside you at each one.

You don't need a medical background. You need patience, a stable home, and a willing heart. We provide the training, the licensing, and the support.

1

Reach out

Tell us a little about yourself in a no-pressure call. We'll answer your questions and explain what medical fostering really involves.

About 30 minutes
2

Orientation & application

Attend an information session, then complete your application and background checks with a coordinator guiding you throughout.

Weeks 1–3
3

Training & home study

Complete pre-service and condition-specific training while we walk your home study through, at a pace that fits your life.

Weeks 3–12
4

Get licensed & matched

Once licensed, we thoughtfully match you with a child whose needs fit your training, home, and family, never rushed.

When the right fit arrives
5

Welcome home, with backup

Placement begins with a nurse on call, a caseworker checking in, and your Circle of Care fully in place from day one.

Ongoing, for as long as you need us

Ready when you are.

Most families begin fostering within three to four months of that first call.

Begin your application
Clinical & benefits support

The medical side, handled with you.

Complex care comes with complex logistics: appointments, equipment, prescriptions, and coverage. Our clinical team and care coordinators carry that load alongside you.

  • Managed-care coordinationWe work within Texas STAR Health and alongside Medicaid managed-care organizations like Superior HealthPlan to keep every child's coverage and services on track.
  • A dedicated nurse for your childPediatric nurses who know each case, review care plans, and are one call away, day or night.
  • Equipment & medication logisticsFrom ordering supplies to coordinating durable medical equipment and pharmacy refills, we keep the essentials flowing.
  • Specialist & therapy accessConnections across Houston's leading pediatric hospitals, clinics, and therapy providers.
Coordinated within networks including

Texas STAR Health

The Medicaid managed-care program for children and youth in foster care.

Superior HealthPlan

STAR Health administrator coordinating benefits, service authorizations, and care management.

Texas DFPS

Licensed and monitored by the Department of Family and Protective Services.

Houston pediatric providers

Working relationships with area children's hospitals, specialty clinics, and home-health agencies.

Why Care Plus Advantage

Depth of care that comes from doing only this.

We're not a general agency that also takes medical cases. Medically fragile children are our entire focus, and it shows in how we prepare and support every family.

01

Medical specialization

Every process, from training to matching, is built for complex-care children, not adapted from general foster care.

02

Never on your own

A nurse, a caseworker, and a coordinated network stay with your family for the life of the placement.

03

Houston roots

Deep local ties to the region's pediatric hospitals, clinics, therapists, and health plans.

04

Family-first pace

We match thoughtfully and train thoroughly, so placements are stable and children stay put.

Questions, answered

What families ask us first.

Do I need a medical or nursing background to foster?
No. Most of our foster parents come from every walk of life. What matters is a stable home, patience, and willingness to learn. Our nurse-led Family Training Academy teaches you the specific care your child needs, and a 24/7 nurse line means help is always a call away.
What are the basic requirements to become a foster parent?
Generally you must be at least 21, pass background and home-safety checks, have enough income to support your household, and complete our training and licensing process. Both singles and couples, renters and homeowners, are welcome. We'll walk you through the specifics on your first call.
Is there financial support for the child's care?
Yes. Children in medical foster care receive Medicaid coverage through Texas STAR Health, and foster families receive a daily reimbursement rate set according to the child's level of care. Because our children have primary medical needs, these rates reflect the additional care involved. We help you understand every benefit available.
How does the 24/7 nurse line work?
If something feels wrong (a change in breathing, a feeding-tube issue, a medication question), you call, and a pediatric nurse familiar with your child's care plan responds. They help you assess the situation, guide next steps, and escalate to on-call staff or emergency care when needed. It's the difference between facing the unknown alone and having a partner on the line.
Can I adopt the child I foster?
When reunification with the birth family isn't possible and adoption becomes the plan, many of our foster families choose to adopt. We support foster-to-adopt journeys start to finish, including post-adoption medical planning and available adoption assistance for children with ongoing needs.
How long does it take to get started?
Most families move from their first call to a completed license in about three to four months, depending on how quickly training and the home study are completed. We move at a pace that works for you; thorough preparation is part of what keeps placements stable.
What area do you serve?
We serve Greater Houston and surrounding counties, including Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Galveston, and Brazoria. If you're nearby and unsure whether you're in our area, reach out and we'll let you know.
Let's talk

Start the conversation. There's no commitment in a call.

Whether you're ready to foster or just curious what it involves, we'd love to hear from you. Share a few details and a coordinator will reach out within one business day.

Call or text
(832) 729-4343
Email
hello@careplusadvantage.org
Office
7636 Harwin Drive, STE C317 · Houston, TX 77036

Already know you're ready? Start your secure application online through our CaseBook applicant portal.

Begin your application

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