CLEVELAND, Ohio — Half of the Ohio children taken into protective custody in 2015 were removed from their homes because of a parental drug addiction, according to the Public Children Services Association of Ohio.
In more than half those cases, parents were using opiates, such as heroin.
As a result, children are staying in protective custody longer, and their care is costing Ohio counties more money. Protective custody means they have been placed with a relative, in foster care, a group home or some other arrangement.
How the opiate epidemic is taking a toll on Summit County Children Services
The Public Children Services Association, which represents county family services agencies across the state, is hoping greater awareness of the problem will bring more state money for protective services. Currently, Ohio ranks last for the state share of funding provided for children’s services.
Representatives of the association and the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services met Monday with editors and reporters from cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.
Here are nine facts about how opioids are taking their toll.
Number of kids in custody: There are 14,000 Ohio children age 18 and under who are currently in protective custody with a relative, foster family, group home or some other arrangement. About 7,000 were removed because of parental drug problems. In the case of almost 2,000 of those children, the drug being abused was an opiate, such as heroin. The numbers do not include homes where alcohol abuse was the reason for removal of a child.
The length of time: Children’s time spent in protective custody is up 19 percent since 2010. That’s in part because with opiate addiction, relapse is common. When a relapse occurs, the state has to decide whether to lengthen the custodial stay in hopes of reuniting a child with his or her family or seeking an adoptive family.
The cost of care: As a result of the longer care, counties overall experienced a 17 percent increase in the costs of placing children in foster homes, group homes or residential treatment.
The end result: Last year, Ohio counties for the first time reported more adoptions than reunifications, according to Scott Britton, assistant director of the Public Children Services Association
The problem with heroin: It is often hard to find a family member who is not addicted to heroin. Britton said he has heard that opiate addiction is more vile than with other drugs because it has a greater ability to override a parent’s instincts to provide basic care to a child.
The money: The state allocation for protective care services to counties has held flat at around $45 million since 2010. While there is other money from other areas that can be using for protective services, the $45 million is the only dedicated funding stream. Many counties, including Cuyahoga and Summit, use specific property taxes to pay for services.
The request for more: Public Children Services Association of Ohio is asking for an additional $30 million. Gov. John Kasich has not shown an inclination to increase that amount, but the association is hoping legislators who have seen the devastation in their home districts may see more funding.
The increase in drug-addicted babies: In 2016, 447 babies born in Cuyahoga County had been exposed to drugs in the womb. That’s up from 330 in 2014 and 439 in 2015. More often the drug was marijuana, following by opiates and then cocaine. But not every hospital tests every baby.
The stress on caseworkers: Statewide, one in four protective services caseworkers left their jobs in 2015-16; 14 percent of resignations were due to stress. The association believes the trauma of working with families where opiate addiction exists has been part of the problem, The turnover rate in Cuyahoga County is not as great, said Tamara Chapman-Wagner deputy director of the Division of Children and Family Services because of targeted efforts to retain staff.
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