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Attorney General Mike DeWine
DeWine Highlights
Need for More Foster Families Due to Opioid Crisis
Unveils New Resources for Prospective Foster Families
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is urging Ohioans to
consider becoming foster parents as the need for foster families has
dramatically increased in the face of the opioid epidemic. DeWine's
call to action came at a news conference this morning where he
also announced several efforts to help becoming a foster parent easier,
including expediting background checks.
"There is a growing chasm between the number of available foster
families and the increasing number of children who enter the child
welfare system because one or both of their parents are drug addicts,"
said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. "Today I want to issue a call
to Ohioans who may be interested in being a foster parent. I ask them
to make that leap and open their home to a kid or kids who could use a
stable, loving home."
DeWine noted statistics on how the opioid epidemic has impacted Ohio's
child welfare system, including:
An estimated half of all children in foster care are there because one
or both of their parents are drug addicts.
There are nearly 3,000 more children in the child welfare system today
than when the opioid crisis began seven years ago.
As of August 5th, more than 15,000 children were in foster care in Ohio.
However, Ohio has just 7,200 foster families to fill this need.
To aid potential foster families, DeWine announced several directives
the Ohio Attorney General's Office was undertaking to make the process
easier, including:
The creation of a webpage on the Attorney General's website
(www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/FosterFamilies) to aggregate important
information needed for becoming a foster family.
Allowing foster parent applicants to expedite their required background
checks through a dedicated email address
(FosterCheck@OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov).
$1 million in grants to child welfare agencies to fund staff and help
recruit new foster families in hard-hit counties.
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