A program that pays $300 a month to foster parents who adopt children could be reduced to $215. It was just increased from $250 in January, where it was for 20 years.
“It may make it more difficult for us to find permanent homes for children in the future,” Centers said.
Subsidies to help adoptive parents with short-term respite or other care may end. A $125,000 annual grant to recruit adoptive families could dry up. And a $50 stipend for foster and adoptive parents to cover babysitting and gas when they attend training is likely no more.
“If those are eliminated or cut back, that only affects the children directly,” said Deanna Henderson, who has adopted six children. “The majority of the kids are special needs, and it’s not about the money, but the money really helps supply the things that they really need.”
Henderson’s 4-year-old adopted son, for example, has sensory problems and tends to hurt himself. She’s hoping for state funding to buy a special bed with padded sides that otherwise would cost her $7,000.
“I think it (the cuts) will affect recruitment and retention,” said Henderson, who also is vice president of a local support group for foster and adoptive parents.
Another program on the block gives family members of children removed from their homes help in taking care of them. That program, set to be eliminated, pays $3,500 over three years to qualifying families.
Plus the county could lose $280,000 in general operating revenue, and other cuts to mental health and drug and alcohol programs could further clog the system.
“The ones who are going to suffer the biggest impacts are going to be the families, and ultimately the kids,” Centers said.
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