By Athena Mandros State child welfare budgets are under stress. The number of children in the child welfare system has risen (see Number Of Youth In Foster Care Up 1.5% In A Year; 36% Of New Entries Due To Parental Drug Use), in large part a byproduct of increasing rates of opioid addiction. One policy change states are adopting to address the situation is changing how care for children in the system are financed and managed. We've covered recent developments in four states that illustrate this evolution. Kentucky & West Virginia Are Developing Specialized Medicaid Health Plans For The Child Welfare Population—On May 16,…