The Opioid Epidemic is Pushing More Children into Foster Care

In “The foster care system was unprepared for the last drug epidemic — let’s not repeat history,” Jeremy Kohomban, CV’s President and CEO, along with co-authors Jennifer Rodriguez and Ron Haskins, urges local and state welfare systems to focus on foster parent training and retention initiatives. “Having more children in foster care will intensify what is already a problem in many states; namely, recruiting and retaining enough good foster homes for children who have been removed from their families. States should now be intensifying their efforts to find and train foster parents and to ensure state and county child welfare agencies have policies and practices that support foster parents, including kin, in providing quality parenting.” Visit Brookings.edu to read the article.

Dr. Kohomban co-chairs Children Need Amazing Parents (CHAMPS) along with Ms. Rodriguez, Executive Director of the LA Youth Law Center. The initiative aims to focus money and energy on improving the existing network of foster homes so that children achieve better outcomes in health, development, education, and connecting with a permanent family. CHAMPS advocates for making parents more involved in decision making, instilling accountability measures, and prioritizing foster parenting as the best option for children who are removed from their parents. Learn more at fosteringchamps.org or #fosteringCHAMPS on social media.