Contact:
Mara Powell
mpowell@kyyouth.org

Statement from Dr. Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates

LOUISVILLE, KY – With the release of the preliminary report on foster children staying in Department for Community Based Services office buildings, State Auditor Allison Ball and the Office of the Ombudsman exemplifies how to be a catalyst for change for some of the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable kids.

The report outlines a few important takeaways for us to consider when it comes to the cases seen in the three-month investigated time period (June 10-October 29, 2024).

  • First, 49 children were reported to stay in DCBS office buildings for an average of 4 days, with almost half for just one day and six kids spending 10 or more days.
  • Second, over 80% of the children were ages 11 and older, with the youngest reported being one year old.
  • And third, this isn’t just happening in Louisville or Lexington. Three DCBS service regions accounted for 70% of the children sleeping in DCBS offices – Two Rivers, Northern Bluegrass, and Salt River Trail (page 6 of report).

As recognized by the Auditor, this report is a starting point with the need for more complete data. We are also left with many more questions than answers. Our main outstanding question: What barriers are keeping foster parents and agencies, or family members, from opening their doors to these children – and how can the Cabinet for Health and Family Services best support them?

These are complex cases with kids who are at risk of experiencing even more trauma. But the bottom line is that Kentucky must do more to keep children in safe, supportive family-based care when possible. That will take a combination of heart and pragmatism – finding families with a passion for caring for high-needs kids and money on the table so that is a feasible reality.

We do recognize and appreciate the Governor’s recent increase to the per diem rates for therapeutic foster care – though we are confused by the lack of funds to implement Senate Bill 151 for critical supports for kinship families just six months ago. Both are beyond worthy causes with implications in the immediate and well into this future as these children grow up.

Kentucky Youth Advocates applauds Auditor Ball for digging into this issue and giving us a better picture of the urgency of what some of our most vulnerable Kentucky kids are facing. As recommended in the report, we now urge the Ombudsman to continue to investigate the barriers to placement, what other settings our kids are staying in locally and out-of-state, and the impact of those alternative settings on the kids.

Until every child has a safe, stable place to sleep each night, Kentucky cannot be the best place in America to be young.

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About Kentucky Youth Advocates
Kentucky Youth Advocates believes all children deserve to be safe, healthy, and secure. As THE independent voice for Kentucky’s children, we work to ensure policymakers create investments and policies that are good for children. Learn more at www.kyyouth.org.