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Former federal official urges state investment in prevention and home‑visiting to reduce child‑welfare entries
Summary
Dr. Jerry Milner told the Senate committee that investment in community‑based prevention and home‑visiting can reduce entries into foster care, citing national figures and urging support for a $5 million recurring proposal in the governor’s budget to expand services via the Children's Trust.
Dr. Jerry Milner, former commissioner of the federal Administration for Children and Families and founder of the Family Justice Group, told the committee that balancing intensive child‑welfare interventions with upfront community prevention can reduce the number of children entering foster care and improve long‑term outcomes.
Milner said the nation has "about 400,000 kids in foster care" and receives millions of hotline reports annually; he said much of the caseload is driven by neglect that stems from lack of resources. He praised South Carolina’s family resource centers and the Children's Trust for home‑visiting work, and noted that a governor’s proposed recurring $5,000,000 appropriation to expand home‑visiting would be a constructive step.
Sue Williams, director of the Children's Trust of South Carolina, introduced Milner and said his focus on listening to families and prevention is consistent with local programs. Several senators thanked Milner, asked for practical examples and discussed possible site visits to model family resource centers in Aiken. Milner urged more precise definitions and off‑ramps for mandated reporters—options that would allow school staff or providers to route families to community supports instead of automatically referring to child‑protection hotlines.
The committee expressed appreciation and invited further meetings; the chair thanked the guests and adjourned the session.
