State faces crisis need for foster families

By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Staff Writer

Cases of child abuse and neglect have jumped by 30 percent in Hawai'i in the past six years, resulting in a corresponding need for foster homes and worsening a perennial shortage, according to the state Child Welfare Services.

Compounding the problem is that children from such backgrounds suffer not only from the abuse and neglect for which they were removed from their homes, but also from behavioral and other problems that make them difficult to place.

"We're having to find parents that have the skill and knowledge to take care of these high-needs children," said Elaine Chung, a social worker with the Department of Human Services, the parent agency of CWS that includes Child Protective Services and Foster Care.

Five thousand children were placed in the foster-care system last fiscal year, an 11 percent increase from the year before. Although the number of homes available is growing, it is not keeping up with the need.

As a result, the state will launch an unprecedented recruiting drive today at all Times Super Markets and Sam's Club in Pearl City in hopes of signing up 200 more foster families.

It is difficult to quantify need in the system because of constant fluctuation, said Amy Tsark, Child Welfare Services Branch administrator, but the need for foster families is continuous.

While the goal is 200 new families, "I would be very happy if we could bring in 50 foster families for teenagers," Tsark said.

The greatest need is for homes for teens and newborn babies. Even 10 new homes would be helpful, she said.

May is National Foster Care Month. At today's recruiting locations, residents will receive information on how to apply for training with Hawaii Behavioral Health Service Inc., which has a contract with the state to train and assess applicants for a general license, said Chung, 70, who came out of retirement in December to increase the number of foster homes in Hawai'i.

Chung blames ice for 90 percent of the cases in which the state must step in and take custody of children to protect them from abuse and neglect. In the past, taking children away was a great motivator for parents to improve, but that is not the case now, she said.

"Motivating parents to get treatment, to get clean, is very difficult," she said.

While the state's goal is to return children to their parents, its first choice of placement when a child is removed is with a relative or friend. If that doesn't work out, CWS turns to its 1,950 foster families statewide — a figure that includes homes taking in the child of a relative or friend, which are not available to meet the general need.

Consequently, the department often must ask general foster parents — less than half the total — to take another child temporarily until a permanent place can be found. Moving a child from home to home is disruptive to the child and something the department wants to avoid, Chung said.

While foster parents do encounter difficulties, they experience satisfactions as well.

Donna and Harry Brown are fostering a teen who suffers from trauma. Even slight stresses can "send her reeling," said Donna Brown, 52.

"There were times we felt like giving up, and we didn't know if we could help her anymore," she said. But after four years, Brown said, she is seeing progress. "She's been a good addition to our family."

Brown said the seminars and training sessions offered by the state and the support from the Foster Family Association gave her and her husband the strength and ability to remain foster parents.

People interested in becoming foster parents must have adequate space, financial stability, no history of abuse, no criminal history and medical clearance.

The state provides medical and dental coverage for the foster child and a stipend of $529 a month to cover basic needs. Most foster parents find themselves providing some support for the child, said Jeff Glover, of Hawaii Behavioral Health.

Glover, whose organization trains foster parents, said foster housing is always short. Last year 88 new homes were licensed; 78 new families have been licensed this year.

Some foster families leave the system because of burnout, because they've adopted a foster child and for other reasons, Glover said.

In recent setback, military families, who usually provide a large number of foster homes, have been unable to sign up because both spouses are required to take the training, and many are deployed overseas, Glover said.

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.