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Maine’s Foster Care Population Grew at the Fastest Rate in the Nation, Federal Data Shows
- Maine’s foster care population grew at the fastest rate in the nation between 2019 and 2023, reaching a 20-year high of 2,579 children in July 2023.
- The rise was linked to a number of widely reported child fatalities involving cases under DHHS oversight in late 2017 and early 2018, which led to changes in legislation and an increase in departmental reports.
- In 2023, Maine removed children at a rate of 4.14 per 1,000 residents, which is roughly three-quarters more than the national average, with neglect accounting for two-thirds of these placements.
- Governor Janet Mills signed legislation earlier this week redefining child neglect to exclude parents unable to afford necessities, though some advocates said the law did not go far enough.
- Officials cite substance abuse, lack of parental legal representation, and gaps in behavioral health services as drivers of foster care growth and stress the need to build prevention infrastructure.
13 Articles
13 Articles
milescitystar.com
New federal data shows Maine’s foster care population grew at the fastest rate in the nation
New federal data shows that Maine’s foster care population grew at a higher rate than any other state between 2019 and 2023. A Maine Monitor analysis of data from the federal Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System showed…
Foster parents needed in Montana
Its a call foster families answera call to take in a child they likely do not know. Answering that call can make a big difference in the lives of children going through a difficult situation, but right now, there are not enough foster families in Montana to meet the needs of children in foster care.When the department calls them on the phone and says will you take these kids, the foster families open their hearts and their homes and give these k…
New federal data show Maine’s foster care population grew at the fastest rate in the nation
Maine’s foster care population grew at a higher rate than any other state between 2019 and 2023, new federal data show. It was one of just six states that increased its foster care population during that five-year period, according to a Maine Monitor analysis of data from the federal Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS). AFCARS published data for fiscal year 2023, the most recent year for which data are available, in …
Central Maine News
Maine’s foster care population grew at the fastest rate in the nation, federal data shows
The state's director of child and family services cited the agency's response to high profile deaths as well as a lack of attorneys to represent parents and declining support services as reasons for the increase.
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