To the editor: Undeniably, L.A. County is between a rock and arduous place when caring for our foster youth with acute psychological well being wants. To be clear, this isn’t nearly all of our children, however it’s a rising quantity. (“Violence and ‘disaster’: How lots of of L.A. County’s abused kids ended up in accommodations,” Could 28)
Modifications to state regulation have tied counties’ fingers. As we transfer away from institutional care, we’re required to depend on households keen to step ahead to take care of our most troubled youth. This isn’t a sensible expectation.
Our kids deserve specialised care from skilled professionals that may facilitate therapeutic in a protected setting. It’s time to seize the bull by the horns and quick observe the event of licensed safe foster care websites. We now have one such website to serve our whole county.
I’m invested in crafting a long-term plan, and that’s going to take collaboration with a number of entities, together with the state, to get it accomplished correctly and rapidly.
Kathryn Barger, Los Angeles
The author is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
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To the editor: As a former chief government of one of many county’s largest non-public youngster welfare nonprofits, I can solely say “we advised you so” in response to your article about foster children being housed in accommodations. Imagine me, I’m not comfortable to say this.
Again in 2015, when the brand new state regulation on foster care was being mentioned, these of us who had been offering each group house and foster household care banded collectively in opposition. We advised the state that there was already a scarcity of foster houses, and eliminating so many group house beds would solely exacerbate the issue.
Many kids who would in any other case be in group houses can’t deal with the much less structured and fewer supervised setting of a foster house. A lot of our shoppers themselves advised us that group houses have been greatest for them.
Now we’re seeing the outcomes, and they aren’t as promising as a few of the politicians and advocates would have us consider.
Sil Orlando, Rancho Palos Verdes
