Among these children are almost half a million foster children, nearly 40 percent of them under age six. A growing number today are children of parents struggling with opioid addiction or other mental health challenges. Virtually all children in foster care have suffered trauma in their lives and have greater health and mental health needs than children not in care. Missouri mother Lori Ross, President and CEO of Foster/Adopt Connect, and her husband adopted a sibling group of eight from foster care. Too often youths aging out of foster care are at increased risk of homelessness, joblessness and incarceration.

Source: Huffington Post July 07, 2017 21:56 UTC