Indiana's foster families are among our greatest unsung heroes as they continuously give of themselves, their homes and their love to support our most vulnerable children. They answer the call because they have a passion for helping those who have nowhere else to turn. I'm humbled by the incredible work they do and that’s why I want to ensure Indiana continues to step up and support them, and our foster youth.
Foster parents provide temporary housing and care for children and adolescents until they can be either reunited with their family, adopted or emancipated as an adult. According to Who Cares: A National Count on Foster Homes and Families, in 2022 there were 9,758 Hoosier youth in foster care and 4,897 total licensed foster care homes in the state. These numbers paint a simple picture – Indiana needs more foster parents. And a good place to start is listening to their needs and improving the process.
As a member of the House Family, Children and Human Affairs Committee, I've heard from current and prospective foster parents about their desire to have better access to information about their rights and helpful resources about working with the Indiana Department of Child Services. That's why I authored legislation this session to ensure DCS provides parents with a packet outlining their rights, relevant statutes and the grievance-filing process, and a full copy of the policy manual.
Feedback and information provided by foster parents help better inform policy decisions and improve the foster care system for all. Under the bill, we affirm that foster parents can share their stories and experiences, which are often sensitive and confidential in nature, with state lawmakers who are working on these complex issues.
We know that keeping siblings together in foster care is important to their healing and leads to better outcomes, but far too often they're separated. According to the Casey Family Programs, between 65-85% of children in foster care have a sibling in care, yet an estimated 53-80% of children with siblings are separated from one or more of their siblings while in care. To keep more siblings together, I co-authored legislation that requires a court to consider whether the child will be separated from a sibling, and whether that separation is in the child's best interest.
I'm also dedicated to supporting our older foster youth who want to be more self-reliant. According to Indiana-based nonprofit Foster Success, those in foster care may pay over 40% more than their peers for auto insurance, because they don't have an adult to add them to an existing plan. To help, I joined state lawmakers last year to create the Insuring Foster Youth Trust Fund, which removes financial barriers associated with getting a driver's license. This fund uses public and private dollars to offset the cost of car insurance and driver's training.
This session, I sponsored legislation to boost support for the fund by expanding the foster care support tax credit to include anyone who contributes to the Insuring Foster Youth Trust Fund. The legislation also helps recognize the contributions of our foster families by providing them with free access to state parks.
I appreciate fellow legislators for working on these proposals with me, including State Reps. Ryan Lauer of Columbus and Donna Schaibley of Carmel, and State Sen. Kyle Walker of Lawrence. I'm committed to supporting our most vulnerable Hoosiers, and recognizing the invaluable work provided by foster families across our state. To Indiana's foster parents, thank you for opening your hearts and homes to kids in need. To learn more about becoming a foster parent, visit IndianaFosterCare.org.
-30-
State Rep. Julie Olthoff (R-Crown Point) represents House District 19,
which includes portions of Lake and Porter counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
PHOTO CAPTION: State Rep. Julie Olthoff (R-Crown Point), pictured in the House Chamber, offers legislation that would encourage others to become foster parents and support current foster families. After clearing the House and Senate, her legislation could soon be law.
