Gladney Blog

What We're Reading: The Opioid Epidemic and Foster Care - Brookings Report

Written by Heidi Bruegel Cox | 2/3/18 1:22 AM

I recently read "The foster care system was unprepared for the last drug epidemic—let’s not repeat history", by Jeremy KohombanJennifer Rodriguez, and Ron Haskins.

We know the opioid epidemic is causing more children to enter foster care.  When a close relative or kinship placement is not readily available for a child, adoption can be a life-saving and life-giving alternative to long-term foster care.

"An estimated 500,000 children and youth are living in foster care in the United States today. A disproportionate number of them are poor and/or minorities. Foster care is intended to be a temporary safe haven until a child can be reunited with their family or until another permanent placement can be found."

 

I encourage you to read the article and work with Gladney as we advocate for children in foster care.