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I am the foster parent of two children that were recieving special rate until 10/1. Using the CANS assessmet one qualified at the lowest rate, $212.00, and the other did not qualify at all.

What this means in REAL money terms is that we are left with the same expenses as we had on 9/1/09 and significantly less money to provide them. I am not talking about food or shelter here I am talking about gas, dental and mental health.  And we travel over 400 miles per moth for medical and mental health treatment and pay out of pocket for NECESSARY mental health and NON COSMETIC Orthodonture that OHP does not cover.

I find it interesting that the state "gave" most foster children more money  at the exact same time it basically robbed money from those children with the greatest needs.

I am hearing from several caseworkers that the assessment for older children relies far more on the interview with the child that the fosterparent. I am also told that younger children who can not be interviewed ARE qualifying special rate where older childern with HIGHER needs are not. 

I think that the real problem here is that the CANS assesment tool.CANS was not developed to assess troubled children in forster care. But I think it is being used because it is almost impossible to get any payment higher that the lowest rate ($212.00) unless a foster child is a sexual preditor, asaultive, a fire setter, self mutilating, or otherwise presents a significant DANGER to him/her self and/or those around him/her self.

And even  these extreamly high risk kids will still not likely qualify for the highest rate ($850) because children at this rate would almost certainly be incarcerated. The rate for level 2 is $414.00.

And this is where the problem is. CANS was not developed for our childrens needs and is an ineffective tool for foster care. CANS is not being use not to help children. The purpose of CANS is to save the state of Oregon money.

Here is my opinion about saving money:  We can spent the approprate amount on each child NOW or build more prisons and mental hospitals to house them later...

posted 3 years, 6 months ago
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