Children living in foster care, facilities at a low number

“I don’t ever remember it being under 20,” he said this week. “Normally, we’re at 30 and we’ve been much, much higher years ago.”

He said social service workers attempt to keep children in their homes with their families when possible.

“It’s something we always strive for, but a lot of other players need the same thought process, and that goes from the courts, guardian ad litem, and staff,” he said.

Out-of-home placements, said Murray, can be very expensive, with the county footing the bill. He said costs to the county are especially high when children need residential treatment for behavior and illegal activity, as well as at facilities specializing in mental health needs.

In 2007, the county spent $1.1 million for out-of-home placements for children.

This year, Murray said he expects the cost to be about $328,000.

In the long-term, the reduction in out-of-home placements is good for the children and the community.

“It’s been well proven that if we’re not taking care of this when people are young, a large percentage turn into adults that go into the criminal system if left untreated,” said Murray.

Murray believes the number of out-of-home placements has decreased in the county is mainly due to two factors: a local mental health provider is now contracted to provide services to children, and a program designed to work with children who have been or are in foster care is flourishing.

“It seems like a lot of things are falling into place,” he said.

Management of the county’s children’s mental health cases is now being handled through a contract with Northland Mental Health.

“Who is better suited to meet the mental health needs than a local mental health facility?” he said. He said the local provider employs two part-time staff handling childrens mental health cases and are moving those positions to full time.

In addition, he said families and children may be more comfortable working with staff at Northland than with county staff, who may have been involved with court orders removing children from homes.

“Sometimes, there is a lot of resentment from the family at the time (children are removed),” he said. “They have a hard time coming back to the same staff (involved in the removal) and accepting services. That’s just common sense.”

He said county staff have heard clients’ support moving the services to Northland, which he added may be why there has been an increase in children seeking the services.

Also playing a role in the reduction in out-of-home placements is the the Free At Last Program, directed by Diane Briggs. Children ages 16-21 who are in foster care or who have been in foster care, are eligible for the educational program, which is intended to teach participants how to become productive adults.

More kids, Murray said, are becoming in involved in the program, which features out-of-town trips, camping, and other activities.

“A lot of times it takes the right person to do that,” he said of Briggs.

“She’s phenomenal. She’s getting kids involved and they want to go to it.”