Rutherford County officials say there are only 23 foster homes for about 186 children; lawmakers weighing 'Bring the Kids Back' proposal

Director Hunt, the department's director, told the Rutherford County Department of Social Services board that the county has a substantial foster care placement gap: "we only have 23 foster homes. We're for about a 186 children that we have in care." The remark framed the department's presentation on efforts to keep children closer to home and increase foster-parent capacity.

Hunt said the county and neighboring directors recently met with legislators to discuss ways to recruit more foster parents and reduce the number of children placed out of county. She described a proposal the group has labeled "Bring the Kids Back," and said Senator Bergen is the lawmaker who has expressed interest in carrying legislation tied to that work. The department's supervisor for adoptions and licensing, Jovan Backus, was cited as a point person for local implementation ideas.

Hunt and other staff told the board the county has been discussing making every foster parent a therapeutic foster parent and tying state or grant funding to that designation to increase capacity, though the details and funding mechanisms have not been finalized. Hunt said counties were asked to submit ideas that could form part of a legislative proposal.

Board members and staff also raised operational concerns the proposal would need to address: workforce capacity, training and the additional time social workers spend supporting placements. Directors warned that more intensive foster care could increase staff workload and require sustained funding to maintain contracted staff or overtime coverage.

The department noted related efforts already under way: a new transitional shelter called the lighthouse is open and hosted its first resident, a 16-year-old, while staff work to place children in foster care or other settings. Hunt said contracted workers are available for overnight coverage but that keeping those contracts in place requires budget capacity. "We have people on contract, but it just depends on whether they're available or not," she said.

The board did not take a formal vote on policy changes during the meeting. Directors said they would continue drafting ideas for the 'Bring the Kids Back' proposal and share them with Senator Bergen and state partners.

The department indicated the shortage of foster homes is a continuing operational priority; next steps are to develop concrete program proposals for the proposed bill and to pursue any available grants or training resources for therapeutic foster-parent development.