OMAHA, Neb. – May is National Foster Care Month, and the Nebraska Children's Home Society is working to bring more potential families into the state's foster care system by removing barriers to participation.

This year's theme is "Foster Care as a support for families, not a substitute for parents," and Christina Wright, resource development supervisor for the Nebraska Children's Home Society, says all Nebraskans can play a part in enhancing the lives of children and youths in foster care, especially for older children.

According to Nebraska's Department of Health and Human Services, in 2018 more than 5,000 children were in need of care.

"Most of those children and youths being older, and so we need families and individuals who are willing to provide temporary care to children 12 to 18 years old, many of those children who have experienced trauma," Wright states.

Wright says the biggest barriers to participation are misconceptions about what it actually means to be a foster parent.

Many people think it's about saving children from their families, but Wright says foster care actually is meant to be a temporary intervention that leads to reuniting families.

Wright encourages anyone interested to contact the Society, set up a meeting to learn more, and get answers for all family members before deciding whether to take the next step.

Wright says another misconception is that foster parents are left to figure it out on their own.

She points out that in addition to providing comprehensive advance training, her group also is on call for ongoing support.

She says people with full-time jobs can participate – you don't have to commit to being a stay-at-home mom or dad, and she adds that potential parents do have a say in which child they are matched up with.

"Once we determine that we're a good match to move forward, we provide families with an extensive 12-week training on the role of being a foster parent, what to kind of expect in the foster care system," she explains.

Wright says most foster parents report that the benefits, including helping out the community at large, and experiencing significant personal growth, far outweigh any challenges.

She says many have said it's helped them see their family dynamic in a new light.

"You know it's a really rewarding feeling knowing that they've not only made a difference in the life of a child, but that child's family as well,” she states. “Some of the parents that have gone through the training say that going through the training has made them a better parent."

The shrinking supply of child-care workers continues to impact Kentucky, and advocates say helping more people receive a Child Development Associate degree could fill critical gaps in child care and early learning - especially in rural regions.

Jennifer Roe is an early-childhood coordinator with Save the Children's Early Steps Program who's currently enrolled in a CDA program at Eastern Kentucky University.

She said it hasn't been easy working full time while in school, but says Save the Children's Career Pathways Program has helped with tuition and other resources, putting her on track on track to graduate next spring.

"When I walk across that stage with that diploma in my hand, it's going to be one of the most rewarding things I've ever done," said Roe. "And not only for myself, but for the families that I serve and for my community."

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, on average, more than 153,000 openings for child-care workers are projected over the next decade - largely driven by the need to replace workers who have left the field or retired.

Save the Children's Career in Education Workforce Development Managing Director Karen Harrison said the program aims to reduce barriers to obtaining a credential or higher-education degree.

"We either pay all or partial of their tuition," said Harrison. "We pay stipends for books, supplies and materials. And we also give barrier-reduction stipends; we know that child care for participants themselves can be an issue."

Roe added that a CDA degree opens the door to immediate job opportunities working in day-care centers, opening a child-care business, or teaching preschool.

"We can't wait 'til they get to kindergarten and expect them to know their ABCs and such," said Roe. "They've got to know when they get there because, if they don't, they're already behind."

Meanwhile, Kentucky child-care providers say the state's industry is on the verge of collapse when federal pandemic funds expire this fall.

In a recent letter, hundreds of providers across the state asked lawmakers to pass a supplemental funding bill to help centers stay afloat.

Earlier this year, Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford took legal action against five of the biggest social media platforms, claiming they have no regard for youths' mental health and well-being.

Jonathan Haidt, social psychologist at New York University, reaffirmed Ford's sentiments, suggesting children and adolescents today who spend hours at a time on social media could experience devastating effects on their mental health and their ability to cope with real-life challenges.

"When you have a synchronized global collapse in mental health hitting the same way demographically, it is going to be pretty hard to find a theory other than my theory of the 'Great Rewiring,'" Haidt contended.

Haidt reported the mental health of teens, especially girls, plunged in the early 2010s, with higher rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide when what he calls "play-based childhood," was replaced by "phone-based childhood." Additionally, symptoms of depression and anxiety doubled during the pandemic according to the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health, which put together a guide to help Nevada families navigate mental health challenges.

American teenagers, ages 13-17, have propelled apps like TikTok to the top of the list of available social media platforms, according to Pew Research Center. Haidt noted while certain measures such as more strict age verification requirements have been considered, tech companies contend it would be too much of an inconvenience for adult users. Haidt called on lawmakers to step up.

"What I'd like to see is Congress would mandate that the companies have to do something," Haidt emphasized. "They have to make a good-faith effort, 'we're not going to hold them responsible for 100%,' but at present 0% there is nothing."

What Haidt termed a "completely frictionless and anonymous virtual world," is causing harm to young children around the country and added he supports a small level of inconvenience for adult users when they sign up for platforms if it will help keep children more safe.


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Advocates of the Child Tax Credit are calling on Washington lawmakers to expand it as they return to the Capitol this week. It's estimated an expansion could help more than 46,000 kids in Montana.

HR 7024, also known as the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, would increase the Child Tax Credit from $1,600 to $1,800, and raise it by another $100 next year.

Nathan Stahley, executive director of the Montana chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, said this would benefit 16,000 Montana kids under age six - which would, in turn, help lift families' financial burden.

"Across the state, we're seeing families struggle to pay their bills," said Stahley. "You know, having to make a choice - do they have to put food on the table there, or are they going to pay for their medication, maybe? And so, when we look at this credit, it's going to lift people out of poverty."

A permanent expansion of the pandemic-era tax credit has strong support, according to recent polling. The expanded CTC passed the U.S. House with bipartisan support and now awaits action in the U.S. Senate.

Beyond helping families pay their bills, Stahley said an expanded Child Tax Credit would help them pursue services they often neglect because of cost.

"Anything from therapy to other health-related concerns they may be working through," said Stahley. "Again, when you're in poverty, there are a lot of things you're not going to be able to afford - and one of the first things that gets cut is health. So, we want to make sure they can put food on the table and get the health care they need."

Numbers from Children's Health Watch show families who received the expanded Child Tax Credit during the pandemic were also able to catch up on rent.