Apr 30, 2008 7:33 pm US/Eastern
Fla. Expected To Slash Millions From Foster Care
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
Florida's foster care system is in jeopardy, facing massive cuts from the state. Legislators are expected to finalize the budget this week, and as it stands, they plan to slice $50 million away from the foster care system.
Four-year-old Zion appears to be a happy child. He plays and jokes with his foster mother, Lynette Griffiths, and with excitement in his voice he proudly tells us about her baking skills. He is one of three foster children at the Griffiths home, including his six-year-old brother Daniel and a four-month-old baby girl.
"Oh my God, the way they look at you, the 'thank you's' for no reason, 'mommy I love you,' children just have a way of letting you know a lot of times without words," said Lynette Griffiths.
That love and appreciation is the reason Griffiths is now in the process of adopting the boys--making her one of the Florida families that adopt about 3,000 children a year.
But brutal budget cuts threaten to wipe out the small $350 a month stipend that families such as the Griffiths get for fostering and adopting these kids.
"My greatest fear is getting back to the days where there were orphanages and people shying away from fostering because the fact of the matter is things are a lot more expensive now," she said.
"There could be families who don't want to risk the financial burden of taking on another child," said Fran Allegra. "Especially in times when gas prices are more food prices are more."
Allegra is executive director of Our Kids, the agency that oversees foster care in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties.
"Does that mean that kids may spend more time in foster care? Yes," she said. "Does that mean that more kids may enter foster care? Yes. If we're having to make cuts on prevention programs? Yes."
This is a sad state of affairs for Griffiths, who chokes back the tears talking about the progress the brothers have made in her home.
"They're more talkative," she said. "They're healthier."
"Budget cuts would also affect children that age out of the foster care system: 18-year-olds that currently receive a stipend to help them live and go to school. That money could also be cut.
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