Intro: Parents and stateworkers informed lawmakers about problems in adoption and child support processes at a senate committee hearing.
A senate committee held public hearings to formulate recommendations for imporoving adoption and child support processes in Missouri.
Foster parents at the hearing asserted the need for the state to honor its contracts with them. Parents say these contracts change as the State's policies change. And only parents who agrree to the new contracts receive medicaid and other benefits for their children.
Lori Ross, a foster parent says the government is not doing what it originally promises foster parents.
The committee on adoption and child support has held similar meetings in Springfield and St.Louis and will issue a report of its recommendations by January 26th. From the State Capitol, I'm Diana Choksey.
Intro: Parents urge Senate commitee to recommend additional state funding for adoption and child support services. The Senate committee held public hearings to formulate recommendations to improve adoption and child support services.
Parents at the meeting urged the legislatures to look into several issues including additional funding for state case workers. Foster parent Kelly Schultz of Jefferson City says these individuals are key to recruiting and retaining foster parents.
State-worker Alice Williams says case workers in most areas worked over 500 cases a month, sometimes exceeding a thousand cases.
The committee on adoption and child support enforcement held similar meetings in Springfield and St.Louis. The committee will issue a report of its recommendations by January 26th. From the State Capitol, I'm Diana Choksey.
Actuality: ROSS1.WAV
Run Time: 00:07
Description: "This is really not an okay practice, contracts that have been established need to be honored."
Actuality: KELLY1.WAV
Run Time: 00:09
Description: Case workers are overworked and as a result a very high turnover.
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