Efforts are underway in the state Assembly, to help the state’s Foster Care system. Members of the Speaker’s Task Force on Foster Care held hearings around the state. The 13 member panel was co-chaired by Representative Pat Snyder of Schofield.
“We heard how, especially with the epidemic of the opiates and meth, the out of home placement of kids has really skyrocketed,” Snyder said.
Co-chair, Representative Steve Doyle of Onalaska, was asked how much of an impact the addiction crisis has had on the system. “Some of the counties reported that 80 to 90 percent of the kids that were in foster care came from families that had drug issues,” Doyle said.
The panel has developed 13 separate pieces of legislation. Snyder said reaching at-risk families and helping them to keep their kids is one of the most important goals.
