Federal Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Alaska Foster Care System

On May 19, 2022, a group of child advocates, including A Better Childhood, filed a federal class action lawsuit against the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Office of Children’s Services (OCS) alleging systemic and long-standing problems in the foster care system. The complaint, Jeremiah M. et al., v. Alaska, alleges that caseworker caseloads are excessive, and high caseworker turnover causes lapses in case and permanency planning. OCS data indicates that caseworker turnover is 59.4%, up 11.8% from the previous year. Lack of adequate foster homes and support for unlicensed kinship care creates placement . . .