State budget cuts could mean more kids on the street
YAKIMA, Wash. -- It might be tougher to find foster parents for children who need help. Agencies that work with children worry about cuts likely coming from the state.
There are thousands of children in foster care across the state. 400 in Yakima alone.
Haydee Barbosa is looking to be a foster parent and says the cost of raising a child can scare some parents away from doing it.
"I think that could be a factor," Barbosa said. "Not a lot of parents want to go ahead and do it."
Money from the state is an issue. Licensed foster families receive anywhere from 400 to 575 dollars a month for basic care. Children with behavioral or medical problems can get 600 to 1,300 a month.
The state is being sued by foster families that say it isn't enough.
Lawmakers are expected cut millions from foster care in the next budget. Rates will remain the same but other reimbursements will go away.
The local Opportunities Industrialization Center got its license a year ago and started helping children find homes.
Staff at OIC say they receive 2-3 referrals a day to place children in foster care homes. With fewer than five families licensed on their list it's impossible to place all children in a home.
More referrals are coming from outside of our area which is placing a strain on the system as well.
Gaynell Phillips with OIC said it's been a struggle to get parents to help.
"If I had 50 families right now, I would be very happy," Phillips said.
Phillips said fewer services would likely mean more children slipping through the system and couch surfing from house to house or even wind up on the street. For now, she waits to see what the state will do.
The Department of Social Health and Services will launch a program later this month to help connect foster children with relatives.
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