Foster Care in Minnesota

For those who did not see it, the Star Tribune recently published an article about the penalty fine Minnesota currently faces for failed foster care placements. Currently, 26% of young people in Minnesota foster care are returned to the system within one year after being re-united with their families. This clearly shows the tremendous need for systemic improvements, given that the federal benchmark for foster care re-entry is 9.9%.

As a guardian ad litem in Hennepin County for the last five years, I have been able to act as an advocate for many of the undeserving young people who get caught up in the child welfare system. I strongly encourage you all to read the aricle, as it sheds some much needed light on this often forgotten segment of the population, and the specific issues that Minnesota grapples with in handling these complicated cases.

Please also consider volunteering to be a guardian ad litem, or donating to Minnesota Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA MN). You can learn more about the importance of CASAs for children in foster care from this recent Boston Globe article.