A new federal law that overhauls the nation's system of care for foster children tightens rules on group-home placement. The homes say there aren't enough foster parents to care for all the children in need, which have increased in recently, especially in rural areas, because of the opioid epidemic.
The Family First Prevention Services Act was included in an omnibus spending bill signed in February 2018; when it takes effect in October, the federal government won't pay for a child to stay in a group home for more than two weeks, with a few exceptions for children with special needs, Teresa Wiltz reports for Stateline: "The law had overwhelming support from nearly every state and the U.S. Congress. Many child welfare experts say that group homes, even the homiest among them, are far from an ideal place for a child to grow up. Research shows that foster kids in group homes face worse outcomes, from lower educational attainment to increased rates of homelessness and criminal-justice involvement."
The law puts a greater emphasis on trying to prevent children from needing foster care, and allows the federal government to reimburse states for more preventive services to children deemed "foster care candidates," generally those who have been abused or neglected but haven't been removed from home. "Under the new law, states may use matching federal funding to provide at-risk families with up to 12 months of mental health services, substance abuse treatment and in-home parenting training to families. Eligible beneficiaries are the families of children identified as safe staying at home; teen parents in foster care; and other parents who need preventive help so their kids don’t end up in the system. States must also come up with a plan to keep the child safe while remaining with parents," Wiltz reports in a different Stateline story. States can ask for a two-year delay to implement the group home restrictions in the new law, but that means forgoing federal funding for preventative services.
Baptist Children's Homes of North Carolina, which operates dozens of group homes in the state, kept the law from passing for years with the help of Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C.. The organization's leaders protest that there aren't enough foster homes to care for all the children in need, and that the two-week time limit is too short -- it can take two weeks for a child to have their first family court appearance after being removed from their parents, Wiltz reports.
Karen McLeod, the director of Benchmarks, an alliance of statewide child-welfare agencies, said group homes in North Carolina aren't against the law because they're motivated by profit. Most are run by religious organizations, lose money and raise funds to make up for the shortfall, Wiltz reports.
Group homes are particularly suited to housing sibling groups and teens, both of which often have a harder time being adopted or placed in foster homes. Some teens choose to stay in group homes because they're tired of moving around. While most children have been placed there by courts, a few have been privately placed by parents, usually because the parent is having trouble managing the child or because the parent is incarcerated. The typical stay is six to nine months. Some children are reunited with their families, and some are adopted, Wiltz reports.
The Family First Prevention Services Act was included in an omnibus spending bill signed in February 2018; when it takes effect in October, the federal government won't pay for a child to stay in a group home for more than two weeks, with a few exceptions for children with special needs, Teresa Wiltz reports for Stateline: "The law had overwhelming support from nearly every state and the U.S. Congress. Many child welfare experts say that group homes, even the homiest among them, are far from an ideal place for a child to grow up. Research shows that foster kids in group homes face worse outcomes, from lower educational attainment to increased rates of homelessness and criminal-justice involvement."
The law puts a greater emphasis on trying to prevent children from needing foster care, and allows the federal government to reimburse states for more preventive services to children deemed "foster care candidates," generally those who have been abused or neglected but haven't been removed from home. "Under the new law, states may use matching federal funding to provide at-risk families with up to 12 months of mental health services, substance abuse treatment and in-home parenting training to families. Eligible beneficiaries are the families of children identified as safe staying at home; teen parents in foster care; and other parents who need preventive help so their kids don’t end up in the system. States must also come up with a plan to keep the child safe while remaining with parents," Wiltz reports in a different Stateline story. States can ask for a two-year delay to implement the group home restrictions in the new law, but that means forgoing federal funding for preventative services.
Baptist Children's Homes of North Carolina, which operates dozens of group homes in the state, kept the law from passing for years with the help of Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C.. The organization's leaders protest that there aren't enough foster homes to care for all the children in need, and that the two-week time limit is too short -- it can take two weeks for a child to have their first family court appearance after being removed from their parents, Wiltz reports.
Karen McLeod, the director of Benchmarks, an alliance of statewide child-welfare agencies, said group homes in North Carolina aren't against the law because they're motivated by profit. Most are run by religious organizations, lose money and raise funds to make up for the shortfall, Wiltz reports.
Group homes are particularly suited to housing sibling groups and teens, both of which often have a harder time being adopted or placed in foster homes. Some teens choose to stay in group homes because they're tired of moving around. While most children have been placed there by courts, a few have been privately placed by parents, usually because the parent is having trouble managing the child or because the parent is incarcerated. The typical stay is six to nine months. Some children are reunited with their families, and some are adopted, Wiltz reports.
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