[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7838]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   MAY AS NATIONAL FOSTER CARE MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOYCE BEATTY

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 22, 2015

  Mrs. BEATTY. Mr. Speaker, this month, I join my colleagues in 
recognizing May as National Foster Care Month.
  National Foster Care Month was established over 20 years ago to bring 
foster care issues to the forefront, highlight the importance of 
permanency for every child, and recognize the essential role that 
foster parents, social workers, and advocates have in the lives of 
children in foster care throughout the United States.
  The goal of this special month is to raise awareness about the 
experiences and needs of the more than 400,000 youth in the foster care 
system.
  It is also an opportunity to celebrate the thousands of dedicated 
foster families who care for these children as well as the social 
workers and service providers who support them.
  I'd like to share a few statistics that showcase the child welfare 
landscape.
  In 2013, there were an estimated 399,546 children in foster care.
  In Ohio, there are about 14,000 children in foster care and 2,500 of 
these children are waiting for adoptive homes.
  We cannot allow these statistics to shape the reality of our nation's 
foster youth.
  All children deserve safe, loving, and permanent homes.
  We have a responsibility to continue to create policies that will 
improve outcomes and the overall well-being of foster youth and their 
families.
  While we have made progress, there is still much more to do.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues to enable every child in 
foster care can succeed.
  Every child in our country deserves the opportunity to succeed, and I 
hope that throughout the month of May, we'll be able to raise awareness 
to the needs of foster children across the United States.

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