Latest news with #YouthandFamilies
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
WA facility caring for drug-exposed newborns at risk of closure after state funding cut
(Getty Images) The only medical facility focused on caring for drug-exposed babies in western Washington is pleading for help after Gov. Bob Ferguson vetoed its funding and the state abruptly canceled its contract. And a group of GOP lawmakers is urging Ferguson to find a way to keep the Kent facility operating. For decades, the Pediatric Interim Care Center has tended to babies born to mothers with substance use disorder. Just under half of its annual $1.7 million budget has usually come from the state, said Development Director Elaine Purchase. Fundraising makes up the rest. But this year, lawmakers slashed that funding to $100,000 in the face of a steep budget shortfall. The facility, known as PICC, was ready to make do with the deep cut and dip into its reserves, with the hope of making up for it when the Legislature returns next year. Then last month, Ferguson vetoed even that $100,000, as part of a slew of small items he removed to save money in the $78 billion two-year spending plan. And soon after, Purchase was 'blindsided' when the state Department of Children, Youth and Families cut its contract with the nursery, meaning no more babies would be referred there starting July 1. 'Which basically destroys our program,' Purchase said. 'Why would they abandon it for $100,000?' In a statement, the Department of Children, Youth and Families argued the center's state funding was 'not cost-effective.' Secretary Tana Senn said the center received money for its 13 beds regardless of how many babies it was serving, and didn't meet requirements to get Medicaid funding. 'We also want to clarify that DCYF is not shutting down the Kent PICC,' said Senn, a former state lawmaker. 'They can still accept referrals from hospitals and have informed DCYF on multiple occasions that they have sufficient charitable funding to continue serving children.' On Friday, state House Republican leadership, including Minority Leader Drew Stokesbary, of Auburn, took issue with the rationale and urged the state agency and Ferguson to reverse course. 'Governor Ferguson, throughout your first legislative session as governor, you said that you just wanted to do things that are 'common sense,'' the half-dozen lawmakers wrote. 'What is more common sense than using the power you hold to save the lives of innocent newborn babies?' The facility, open for 35 years, was caring for just one newborn Friday, said Purchase. It has been underused as the focus has shifted to keeping babies with their parents. Research has indicated parental involvement is integral in an infant's development. 'New evidence-based models demonstrate better outcomes for babies when they 'room in' at hospitals under the care of a physician or are in transitional care homes that allow the mother and baby to stay together,' Senn said. 'While hospitals, of course, may choose to continue to refer children to the Kent PICC, they have been doing so much less frequently as demonstrated by the current empty beds at the Kent PICC,' the agency secretary continued. 'Instead, hospitals more often refer infants to other facilities that use the current standard of care.' In 2021, the Legislature passed a measure known as the Keeping Families Together Act to help relatives take care of children who can't stay with their parents and to reduce racial disparities in the child welfare system. Critics blame the bipartisan law for a reported increase in child deaths, including from drug exposure. The average stay for babies at the Kent pediatric care center is 30 to 40 days. Most are exposed to fentanyl or methamphetamine. Since opening in 1990, the facility says it has cared for over 3,500 babies. 'We just want there to be a safe place for these little ones,' Purchase said. The governor did not provide comment on Friday, with a spokesperson for his office referring to the statement from the Department of Children, Youth and Families. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Deaths and critical injuries spike in Washington's child welfare system
(Photo by) Critical injuries for Washington children involved in the state's welfare system jumped significantly in the first half of this year. Through June, at least 92 children had died or nearly died, according to the state's Office of the Family and Children's Ombuds. That's up from 78 in the first six months of 2024. These incidents stem from causes such as drug exposure, abuse and neglect. They also include expected medical deaths if the family had some involvement with child welfare. The figures only capture cases the state Department of Children, Youth and Families is aware of. The agency oversees Washington's child welfare system. Some Republicans have blamed a recent state law for putting kids at greater risk. But state officials say there isn't a definite link between that law and many of the incidents. The highly potent opioid fentanyl has driven increases in fatalities and near-fatalities for the state's children in recent years. Last year, over two-fifths of the episodes were tied to accidental drug ingestion and overdose. Such incidents were very rare in 2017 and 2018. So far this year, 20 of the cases involving children ages 0 to 3 stemmed from accidental fentanyl exposure, according to the ombuds data. There were 33 such cases in all of 2024. 'These are the ones where, usually, it's a younger child accidentally picks up some foil and puts it in their mouth or a tablet and ingests it,' Patrick Dowd, the head of the agency watchdog, told the Department of Children, Youth and Families oversight board Thursday. In light of this spike, state lawmakers in 2024 passed legislation requiring courts to more strongly weigh the presence of opioids in the home when deciding whether a child should be removed and placed into foster care. State officials also point to increased economic stress over the past few years as a contributor to the incidents, and say that may only increase as the impacts of tariffs and cuts to social safety net programs are felt. 'It is not necessarily going to be better before it's worse,' said Sen. Claire Wilson, D-Federal Way, the co-chair of the oversight board, 'and so we really have to think about what that looks like and how we leverage resources and support.' The 2021 Keeping Families Together Act raised the bar for taking children away from their parents and favored placing them with other relatives over foster care. The idea was that removal from their homes can cause them major problems later in life. The legislation passed with strong bipartisan support in the Legislature. But now Republican lawmakers in particular are souring on the law. Rep. Chris Corry, R-Yakima, said if he could take back any of his votes since joining the state House in 2019, this would be it. 'It's either being completely misapplied or when the law was passed, it was misrepresented to myself and members of the Legislature because this was not ever in my mind where we keep children with drug-addled parents,' said Corry, who has fostered children. But the ombuds office didn't recommend changes to the Keeping Families Together Act, enshrined in House Bill 1227, to the oversight board. 'We did not find in many cases a certain point where, if only 1227 had not been enacted, then the department would have filed' for removal, Dowd said. Instead, the ombuds suggested the state expand treatment services for pregnant women and mothers, increase efforts to engage fathers and look into allowing children to stay in their guardians' homes under court-ordered state supervision. The agency has taken steps to respond to the alarming trend. For example, the state now requires 'safe child consults' for all child welfare cases involving opioid use and a child younger than 3. These reviews help determine whether officials will allow a child to go home or petition a judge for care elsewhere. The department has also increased training for caseworkers on neglect and medically complex cases. Republicans have also been frustrated over the state's defunding of the only medical facility in western Washington focused on caring for drug-exposed newborns. Most of the babies cared for at the Pediatric Interim Care Center in Kent were exposed to fentanyl or methamphetamine before birth. The Department of Children, Youth and Families, in a statement Friday, said it's 'not possible or appropriate' to point to a single cause driving this year's rise in child fatalities. The agency attributed the increase largely to synthetic opioids like fentanyl, parental stress, 'an increase of families with high needs, and the complexities of cases and the systems involved.' Last year saw a slight decline in the overall number of fatal and near-fatal incidents, with 140 child deaths and near deaths compared to 147 in 2022. Of those whose deaths last year were related to maltreatment, like abuse or neglect, 42% were part of an open case with the Department of Children, Youth and Families at the time of their death. Another nearly 40% had a case closed in the prior 12 months. Of the 38 maltreatment deaths in 2024, more than half of the children were under one year old. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Police: Portsmouth woman arrested after child gave her Narcan
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (WPRI) — A Portsmouth woman was arrested and charged with child endangerment last Thursday after a 10-year-old child called police to report a medical emergency. Police said responding officers found signs of a drug overdose, along with unsecured narcotics and several containers of discarded Narcan in the home. ALSO READ: Motorcyclist dies after Portsmouth crash According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, Narcan is a brand of naloxone, a medication that can quickly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Following an investigation, police discovered that the child had used the Narcan on 44-year-old Lauren Nortz. The child had reportedly learned to use the medication from reading the instructions on the package and past guidance from a family member. During an interview with detectives, Nortz admitted to using the drugs and confirmed that the drugs and related paraphernalia were accessible to the child. Police contacted the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) which remains 'involved keeping the child safe.' Nortz was arraigned at police headquarters and released on $2,000 surety bail, with an order not to contact the child. She is scheduled to appear in court for a formal arraignment on June 12. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
04-06-2025
- General
- Axios
Seattle summer camps fill fast as prices soar
With the school year coming to an end, Seattle-area parents are scrambling to lock in summer camps and grappling with a price tag that can run into the thousands per child. Why it matters: Summer camp is more than just a fun break — it's critical child care for many working families, Kyle Bywater, a Seattle Parks and Recreation manager, told Axios. The city works to keep its prices low, but the cost still forces some parents to make tough financial trade-offs or forgo camp altogether, he said. State of play: City-run day camps typically serve ages 5–12, while other programs offer preschool options or teen-focused tracks. Seattle Parks still has spots at most of its 14 licensed day camp sites — which run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. — but they're filling quickly, said Bywater, who oversees summer camp programs for the city. Between the lines: While there are spaces, the city has depleted its scholarship funds, said Bywater. Low-income households may be eligible for subsidies through the state Department of Children, Youth and Families or Best Starts for Kids Child Care Subsidy - BrightSpark, Bywater said. Families can contact the DCYF client help line at 844-626-8687. What they're saying:"Finding something that's not going to bore my kids or break my pocket is a real struggle," Senika Smith, a Seattle-area mother of five, told Axios. Smith said she's spent hours digging through websites, calling around, and hoping things will line up. Her advice for next year: Start looking in December. But now? "Get them on every waiting list you can." By the numbers: In the Seattle area, the cost of summer camps varies dramatically based on the type and duration of the program. City-run day camps, such as those sponsored by Seattle Parks and Recreation and ARC Seattle, can run around $390 to $470 a week, depending on the program and location. Specialty STEAM camps, such as iD Tech at the University of Washington, run from around $1,000 for a one-week coding camp to nearly $6,000 for a two-week robotics camp. Some organizations have lower-cost options, including the Salvation Army, which is running camps throughout August at a cost of $115 a week and $50 for every additional child. Camp Aurora at Aurora Community Church in Shoreline offers three- and five-day camps throughout summer at $150 to $225 per week. Plus: Many churches offer one-week vacation Bible schools for nominal fees that can be used for enrichment or to fill child care gaps. Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Parish in West Seattle is hosting a five-day camp June 23-27 with a $75 fee for the first child and $35 for each additional child. Bethany Community Church offers a four-day camp in July for $40 a kid or $100 for three or more. Thought bubble: As an extremely broke, single working mother of three, there were a few years where migrating from Bible school to Bible school was the core of my summer child care strategy.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
State of NH settles wrongful death lawsuit with Elijah Lewis' father
The state of New Hampshire has reached a settlement with the family of Elijah Lewis Lewis was killed by his mother and found dead in a Massachusetts park in 2021. The boy's father filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the state, alleging that DCFY failed to act when the boy's safety was called into question. Timothy Lewis claimed in the lawsuit that New Hampshire's Division for Children, Youth and Families was negligent and failed to keep his son safe while the boy lived with his mother, Dauphinais. The settlement reached is worth 2.25 million dollars, the same amount that the Granite State settled with the mother of Harmony Montgomery. Under the terms of the settlement, the state doesn't have to admit any wrongdoing or unlawful conduct. Elijah Lewis' mother pleaded guilty and is serving more than 50 years to life in prison. Crews searched for the boy before finding his body several miles away in a shallow grave in a state park in Abington, Massachusetts. His death was ruled a homicide. Crews searched for the boy before finding his body several miles away in a shallow grave in a state park in Abington, Massachusetts. His death was ruled a homicide. An autopsy later determined the boy died of 'violence and neglect, including facial and scalp injuries, acute fentanyl intoxication, malnourishment and pressure ulcers.' Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
