NCJ Number
150086
Date Published
1994
Length
29 pages
Annotation
This report by the U.S. General Accounting Office compared and contrasted the population sizes and distinctive characteristics of young foster children in 1986 and 1991, using data from New York, Pennsylvania, and California, the States with the largest average foster care populations in 1991.
Abstract
The results showed that, in 1991 compared to 1986, the foster care population was much larger, and more children were likely to have entered foster care due to some type of neglect, to have biological parents who abused drugs, to have more health-related problems themselves including those stemming from prenatal exposure to drugs, and to be eligible for Federal maintenance payments. Both Federal and State expenditures have felt the impact of the growth in the number of young foster children and the decline in their overall level of health. Drug abuse treatment programs for biological mothers and pregnant women need to emphasize the risks of prenatal exposure to drugs and the likelihood that children will be removed from their families. Services to address the health and developmental needs of drug-exposed children are needed and should overlap with existing health and foster care programs. 6 figures, 9 notes, and 3 appendixes