Our View

Our View

Addressing Arkansas’ ‘complicated’ foster care issues

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and top lawmakers seem to be perplexed over the fact the number of children in the state’s foster-care system is at record levels and are scratching their heads as to why caseworkers are removing more children from homes immediately upon investigation rather than considering alternatives. Then, there is the concern with judges ordering removals of children from their homes against the recommendations of caseworkers, while a extensive report requested by Hutchinson points to issues such as inexperienced caseworkers, caseworkers who look at themselves as “law enforcement officials” and the fact the state agency that oversees the foster care system simply can’t stand up to judges.

Mischa Martin, the Children and Family Services Division’s direction assessed the situation as “complicated” and saying, “Our cases are not always black and white.”

While all these factors are absolutely contributors to the problem let us point out a situation that seems to be left out of this situation that may very well be as important as anything as to why the number of children in state care has rapidly increased.

The fact that there are over 5,100 children in the foster- care system, an all time record high, may be tied to the fact that Arkansas is experiencing a serious issue of poverty, low-income families dependent upon scores of government welfare subsidies. A prime example of how serious this is in the fact that the state’s largest and most expensive agency, the Department of Human Services, is struggling to provide Medicaid services to well over 260,000 Arkansans.

Could it be that many of these “poor” Arkansans are seriously struggling to feed themselves, their children, provide a roof over their heads and pay for utilities and other essential services? Could it be that these monumental problems are causing family conflicts, alcohol and drug issues, all situations that clearly provoke spousal and child abused?

Millions upon millions of our tax dollars are being spent on this massive and growing problem in Arkansas and until this is resolved we’ll continue to see record levels of foster care issues.

As this report, by Hornby Zeller Associates of New York, suggests that 22 percent of child removal are “potentially” unnecessary and there is certainly an need for increased communication and cooperation among various entities. Bear in mind, this is a percentage that has increased over time and there doesn’t seem to be any reasonable alternative in place other than child removal.

There definitely needs to be attention given to internal agency issues such as making child-welfare investigators clearly understand that they are social workers and not “law enforcement.” The issue of inexperienced caseworkers needs to be taken seriously and there needs to be a protection plan in place that takes into account allowing parents to designate an appropriate caregiver without the child entering foster care.

Yes, this is a complicated situation, and yes, these cases are not always black and white and can be solved by taking seriously what factors are causing the problem.