Now is the time for state lawmakers to invest in resources to help current foster homes stay open and to recruit new foster families.

Fifteen years ago, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services negotiated an end to a class-action settlement through a mandated improvement plan. At the heart of its success are people stepping forward to welcome abused and neglected children into their homes.

Guiding children who are going through trauma can be difficult. They are recovering from the chaos of their previous homes and uncertainty about their futures.

Making it worse is having to move children away from their schools, friends and other people who can help them through this difficult time.

Having enough foster care placements gives social workers choices to find the right temporary placement. Oklahoma is falling away from this goal, according to a recent story from the nonprofit Oklahoma Watch.

One-third of Oklahoma children in foster care were moved to homes or group facilities at least two counties away, according to DHS January data.

Some counties have fewer foster placement options than children going into care. In Tulsa County, there were 47 more children than placements available in January. Rural counties are affected, too. Beckham County had 37 foster children needing housing and only 26 beds.

The consequence is children being placed hours away from their homes and all they know.

The distance makes successful parental reunification more difficult. The process can take years and involves a judge-approved treatment plan that can require completion of addiction and mental health therapy, parenting classes, supervised visitations or other mandates.

During that time, children are living in foster homes with social workers making regular checkups. The frequency of social worker visits is to ensure child safety. It is time-consuming and expensive for workers to be driving up to 10 hours a day to get to foster children.

Prior to the class-action lawsuit, social workers were handling caseloads too large for proper oversight. Without enough placement options, children were put in homes that were unprepared to handle their needs. Some children experienced harm.

With millions invested by lawmakers to reform the system, foster care placement options improved. That included increasing reimbursements for foster parents, hiring more social workers and increasing pay for the workers.

Foster families go through extensive background checks, home inspections and parenting classes. But within a year, nearly 40% of foster parents close their homes. After five years, 8% of foster families are still caring for foster kids.

Some foster parents stop due to changes in their own families. Some say caring for a child who was abused and neglected was harder than expected, and the state must invest more to help this group.

Recruiting and retaining foster parents is an ongoing need in Oklahoma; there will never be a “mission-accomplished” moment. Kids recovering from abuse and neglect deserve the state’s investment to keep them safe.

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