Statement of Hope Cooper, Senior Program Officer, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Before the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support of the House Committee on Ways and Means

In 2003 Pew launched a national initiative aimed at finding ways to reduce the number of children languishing in foster care without permanent families.   To date, we have invested more than $23 million towards achieving this goal.   The initiative began with the work of the Pew Commission on Children in Foster care.  In 2004, after more than a year of intensive study,   the commission issued a report with policy recommendations for state court and federal financing reforms. 

Overview of Child Welfare Services in Ohio State

Ohio's child welfare system is state-supervised and county-administered.  A number of recent developments and converging trends may have a significant impact on child welfare financing in Ohio.

Overview of Child Welfare Services in Michigan State

Michigan is experiencing severe economic and fiscal problems due primarily to a downturn in the automobile industry, resulting in a budget deficit of approximately $856.4 million at the end of the state's 2007 fiscal year (September 30).  Because of these issues, many of the state's budget bills are still being debated as of the date of this memo.  The human services budget bill, SB 232, was passed by the Senate on August 22, 2007.  The House passed an amended version of the bill on September 6, 2007.  The bill is currently in conference committee.  This memo will summarize those provisions in the bills that are relevant to reform of federal child welfare financing.  When a budget is finally approved and signed by the Governor, this memo will be updated. 

Overview of Child Welfare Services in Washington State

Compared to other states, child welfare is high on the list of legislative priorities in Washington.  This high level of legislative activity can be attributed in part to a number of recent events that are briefly described below.  In addition, the legislature, particularly the House, has a number of experienced champions of children's issues, including Rep. Ruth Kagi, chair of the House Early Learning and Children's Services Committee, and Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson, chair of the House Human Services Committee, among others. 

Progress on Court Reforms

The release of the court recommendations of the Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care in 2004 focused greater attention on the need to enhance dependency court performance to achieve improved outcomes for children and youth in foster care and their families. As part of a first of its kind national judicial summit in 2005, states developed action plans to strengthen dependency court performance in the four critical areas identified by the Pew Commission: accountability, collaboration with child welfare agencies, judicial leadership, and constituent voice. The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 provided $100 million in court improvement funds to support judicial reforms across the country.

In this review, Kids Are Waiting both examines the progress that states have made since the 2005 summit in strengthening their dependency courts and improving outcomes for children, youth, and families, and makes recommendations for continued improvements.

Strengthening Families Through Guardianship

More than 500,000 children will close their eyes tonight as wards of the state in foster care. They are waiting for the security, stability and love of permanent families. Foster care was created as a short-term safety net for children in crisis, however, on average children will languish in care for more than two years. More than half the children leaving foster care will return home to their birth parents, and about 18 percent will leave foster care to adoptive families. For some, however, reunification with their parents or adoption is not an option.

Time for Reform: Hoping for a Home for the Holidays

Each year, more than 500,000 children spend the holidays in foster care. In some cases the holidays may be spent with extended family, but more often it is spent with foster families to whom children are not related, or in group homes or institutional settings. Although foster care is an important safety net for children who have suffered abuse or neglect, being in foster care is not always easy.

Fostering the Future: Safety, Permanence and Well-Being for Children in Foster Care

All children need safe, permanent families that love, nurture, protect, and guide them. This was the starting point for the work of the Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care and a steady compass throughout our deliberations. More info