Foster Care in Oregon, Jan. 29

(Salem) – Despite the challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic and historic wildfires, the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division was able to reduce the use of foster care to a historic low, return all children placed at out-of-state residential treatment facilities to Oregon and decrease the use of temporary lodging. On Jan. 1, 2021 there were 6,118 children in foster care, the lowest number of children in care in 15 years.  “We all know that infants, children, adolescents and young adults do best growing up in a family that can provide love, support, lifelong learning, shared values and important memories,” said Child Welfare Director Rebecca Jones Gaston. “That is why we are committed to doing everything we can to provide the necessary supports to help families safely stay together and decrease the use of unnecessary foster care.” Key Child Welfare Division data and accomplishments for 2020: Decreased the number of children in foster care by 11% compared to 2019. Eliminated the usage of out-of-state residential treatment facilities since July. Decreased the use of temporary lodging by 66% percent in the last twelve months. (Temporary lodging is the temporary placement of a child in a hotel room because there is not an appropriate placement immediately available.) Decreased the average wait times at the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline (ORCAH) by 46 percent from 8.07 minutes in 2019 to 4.33 minutes in 2020. Family reunifications in 2020: 1,934; Adoptions finalized in 2020: 811; Guardianships finalized in 2020: 355.