Make every effort to keep families together

Make every effort to keep families together
State should separate parents and children only as last resort
JUNE 11, 2010

More than 180 Indiana children per week are removed from their homes by the state. For an outsider to say which of those moves are justified and which are not would be a reach of absurd lengths.



Yet the broad picture painted by the high and rising figure does call into question the state's claim that it's doing all it can to keep troubled families intact. Moreover, it casts doubt on the progress of reform in child protection, a paramount priority of Gov. Mitch Daniels since his first election in 2004.

Interestingly, a key element of reform, additional caseworkers, is cited by the Department of Child Services as a reason behind the unwelcome new data. Commenting as part of a report Sunday by The Indianapolis Star's Tim Evans, a DCS spokesperson attributed the phenomenon to more reporting of abuse and neglect, more staff to investigate those problems and growing financial stress on households.

Yet other states, with equal or superior resources and arguably worse economies, do better than Indiana at minimizing the last resort: separating children from their parents and placing them in foster settings. Indeed, some critics argue that poverty is often misconstrued as neglect.

While there's no dispute that removal often is necessary, and that foster homes are generally caring environments, the consensus of experts is that kids are best served by helping their original families. The most recent federal data reflect as much, showing a 7 percent drop in removals nationally. The reverse is true in Indiana, whose 9,375 removals in fiscal 2008 represented a 22 percent jump from 2007. And the rise appears to continue.

Besides removals, the period since 2004 has been marked by below-par performance in two other categories: placement of removed children with relatives and the rate of repeat maltreatment of children after state intervention. Removal costs taxpayers, too: more than $70 million a year.

Critics, including a state-sanctioned couple interviewed by Evans who got the help they needed from non-DCS sources, contend that Indiana does too little to assist families and does much to punish them. The state insists otherwise and says it is intensifying its communications, recruitment of community partners and relative-placement strategies along the lines of family preservation.

"If any child cannot safely remain in his or her home, it is our legal duty to place that child in a safe, stable environment," DCS spokeswoman Ann Houseworth said.

No argument there. But the numbers suggest more can be done to avoid hitting the point of "cannot."

-- The Indianapolis Star

http://www.pal-item.com/article/20100611/NEWS03/6110321