Ohio Foster Care Population Rose 13% From 2016 To 2017; 50% Due To Substance Abuse

The number of Ohio children in foster care rose 13% between 2016 and 2017, from 13,769 as of July 1, 2016, to 15,510 as of November 1, 2017. Half of the rise is attributed to parental addiction disorder, specifically opioid use. If the rate of increase set during 2017 continues, by 2020, a projected 20,000 children will be in the Ohio foster care system.

These findings were reported in "The Opioid Epidemic’s Impact on Children Services in Ohio" by the Public Children Services Association of Ohio. The association analyzed point-in-time data from the Ohio . . .