Our View Focusing on the ‘care’ in the foster care system

Our View

Focusing on the ‘care’ in the foster care system

Kudos to Mischa Martin, the woman who took the reins of the troubled state Department of Human Services Children and Family Services Division a year ago and has made remarkable progress in addressing the problematic foster care dilemma.

We’re safe to say, we all agree our children are our precious assets and we must make absolutely sure we do all that is necessary to care for them in time of need.

Arkansas’ biggest agency is DHS with millions upon millions of our tax dollars going to address the multitude of issues involving Arkansans, particularly those affecting our youngest, which making sure the bureaucrats within this system are professional, dedicated and committed to their specific responsibilities.

Based on her performance we can say that Martin meets all those requirements by her accomplishments in curbing the growth in the number of children in foster care. We’re told growth in foster care today has plateaued since hitting a record high last year.

Martin attributes this to increased staffing of qualified employees, improved partnerships, and pay raises for key employees. She says these factors will continue to improve the foster care situation in Arkansas.

Why are we so adamant about this issue is made clear in the number of children that simply don’t have the care and attention of a stable family environment. It is sad to know the number of children in foster care first topped 5,000 in mid-2016.

This can only be described as a serious crisis that Gov. Asa Hutchinson took very seriously by making it one of his primary priorities as governor. He asked for the support of the Legislature and lawmakers responded by appropriating tens of millions of additional dollars for the division.

Martin’s first priority focused primarily on child placements followed by the all important prevention and strengthening the workforce.

Sadly, for years there was little serious attention given to the unsustainable growth in the number of foster children.

While Martin’s accomplishments have been dually noted her challenges remain monumental in light of the fact the number of children currently in foster care remains over 5,100, a number that points to a dire need to address the causes and prevention.

After a child-abuse prevention rally last April, Martin said she wanted to work with nonprofit groups to open more homes for foster children, a task she now says has resulted in 240 new foster families in 2016.

While all that has been accomplished it is critical that Martin put her human resources and efforts into finding effective ways to solve the problem rather than treat it. These over 5,000 children are victims of situations they had absolutely nothing to do with and are now paying the consequences of the dastardly deeds of their dysfunctional families.

We must always remember these children are the future assets of our state and if there is any one state agency that all the resources to accomplish its goals it is the DHS Division of Children Services.