foster care

A sweeping class-action lawsuit — where the state of Oregon spent upwards of $18 million taxpayer dollars defending a child welfare system known for well-documented systemic failures — entered a new chapter on Thursday.

Oregon has been under scrutiny for years for placing kids in temporary lodging

The settlement stipulates Disability Rights Oregon and the state will agree upon a “neutral,” an expert to oversee the foster care system and work with the individual to improve the child-welfare system, primarily by reducing the rate of mistreatment and improving the quality of placements.

In 2019, a national advocacy group filed a class-action lawsuit against the Oregon Department of Human Services, alleging the state mistreats children in its foster care system and has failed to fix glaring problems. Five years and millions of dollars later, the next trial has been delayed as the two sides near a settlement agreement.

An Oregon state lawmaker wants to ensure children in foster care who are placed in hotels or short-term rentals receive the same protections as foster youth placed in a home. State officials charged with caring for the children disagree.

Leaders in the field discuss the current state of foster care in Oregon.

The state has spent about $25 million housing 462 kids in foster care in hotels since 2018. State of Oregon officials regularly spend more than $2,560 per kid, per night (which includes lodging, staffing and food) to house a child in temporary lodging.

For children involved in foster cases, visiting the sterile Lincoln County Courthouse can be upsetting. A new donation aims to make them feel more comfortable with a room equipped with toys, books, art and more.

Oregon’s foster care system has more than a few issues, according to last year’s Secretary of State’s audit of the Department of Human Services. However,…

Attorneys who represent two Oregon foster children are suing the Department of Human Services. The lawyers say DHS violates state and federal law by…

Caregivers at a non-profit that runs group homes around the state began mediation today (Monday). The Lane County union is concerned about job cuts, while…