Addressing the Foster Care Crisis in Kansas: Safety Net Recommendations

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This report summary outlines the need for Kansas to strengthen its social safety net by removing barriers to TANF, SNAP and Child Care Assistance in order to address the foster care crisis in Kansas.

Published 2020-07-20

While some improvements are being made – including a settlement agreement to address placement instability – no single solution is likely to fix this crisis by itself because of the complexity and depth of the problems facing Kansas foster care. Instead, multiple issues need to be addressed on multiple fronts. The Strengthen Families Rebuild Hope (SFRH) coalition has identified three key areas of recommendations for improving the foster care system:

  1. Support Kansas families by ensuring they have the resources necessary to take care of their children and avoid contact with the foster care system.
  2. Once children do become known to the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) through reports and investigations, Kansas needs to focus on more targeted prevention and early interventions.
  3. Finally, Kansas needs to improve conditions for youth in foster care.