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State officials tell Florence council foster system is strained; many children placed with kin
Summary
Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services briefed Florence leaders on foster-care needs: 8,605 children in state custody, 170 in Boone County; speakers urged respite, donations and local outreach to prevent nontraditional placements.
Florence Mayor Julia Abishon invited representatives from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services to brief the council on foster care and adoption resources.
Clyde Jamieson, a social service clinician with the cabinet, told the council that "Currently, the state of Kentucky has 8,605 children that are in foster care." He said the Northern Bluegrass Service region accounts for 1,224 of those children and Boone County has 170. Jamieson described three typical placement groups for Boone County: newborns to 5 (57 children), ages 6 to 11 (33) and ages 12 to 21 (80).
Jamieson said placement options include relative caregivers, "fictive kin" (trusted family friends or other adults with an existing relationship) and nonfamilial foster homes. He described foster-parent approval as a seven-week training course and a home study, while relative or fictive-kin placements may be approved more quickly so children can remain in a familiar setting.
The cabinet representative emphasized shortages and operational strain: "Right now, we are at 85% capacity as the state," Jamieson said, and staff sometimes find children in "nontraditional placements," including temporarily sleeping in the office. He urged community volunteers and noted available supports for foster families such as tuition waivers for children in custody, medical coverage and monthly stipends until age 21.
Council members and residents asked practical ways to help. Jamieson recommended respite care as a low-commitment step for volunteers and listed items the cabinet accepts: new suitcases, video-game systems, gift cards and warm meals. "Suitcases are something we would take," he said, adding the cabinet prefers new items because of limited facilities to clean donations.
A person with lived experience in foster care told the council older children in care often present defiance-related behaviors while younger children face issues tied to neglect and substance abuse; the speaker praised an independent-living program for 18–21-year-olds that teaches life skills for the transition out of care.
The council thanked the cabinet staff and noted opportunities to coordinate community events and outreach to recruit respite and foster caregivers. Casey Bushelman of the cabinet distributed informational packets to council members.
