A newly approved bill allocates millions of dollars to help make children in Idaho’s foster system safer.
On Wednesday, Governor Brad Little signed Senate Bill 1208, directing $23.2 million toward Idaho’s Department of Health and Welfare.
In June 2024, Governor Little issued the Promoting Families and Protecting Children Act. The act pushed multiple changes to Idaho’ foster care system, including paid parental leave for state employees who are foster parents and limiting the number of congregate, non-home foster care settings.
With the funds from SB 1208, DHW will continue to make improvements to the foster care system by:
Identifying at-risk youth before they become victims of abuse or neglectProviding support to safely keep kids in their homes and prevent them from entering the foster care systemExpanding resources for children in foster care to make sure they are in the right home for them during their time of crisisExpanding the availability of treatment foster homes, limiting congregate care to only the most necessary, complicated cases Bringing Idaho children living out-of-state back home to Idaho
“There is no category of children more in need of protection than those in the child welfare system. Through no fault of their own, children in foster care in Idaho face enormous challenges. They need our support, and so do the foster families who step up to care for them, love them, and provide them safety,” Governor Little said.
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