Foster Care UnFair

Rosie O'Donnel is not one of my favorite people. Frankly, I usually turn the channel when I realize it is her. However, I love Good Morning America (http://abcnews.go.com/GMA), and Chris Quomo was interviewing her. I like Mr. Quomo so I listened. I am so glad that I did. I am going to have to find a way to see her new movie. (I don't have cable, satellite or whatever).

Foster Care is a great idea, but a difficult reality. The statistics quoted by Mr. Quomo included 30,000 children every year age out of foster care. Aging out means that the State has deemed the child an adult and will no longer support them through foster care. Foster parents will not receive any finanical help to support the new "adult" and the new "adult" will no longer be eligible for state funded programs such as job training and educational assistants.

Of course, there are ways the "adult" can aquire additional assistants for job training or education, but they have to have the desire and where withall to get it. Of course, how can they care about the hoops they must hop through when their more immediate concern is, "Where am I going to live? Where is my next meal coming from? How will I get money to pay for clothes and shoes?" And don't forget that these new adults are often kids who have just turned 18 years old. At 18, friends and fun are vital ingredients for happiness. At 18, you are willing to do just about anything to maintain your friends and have some fun.

I could go on and on about this, but Rosie's brief talk about the hardships of Foster Care is the focus. There are a lot of people doing great work to make the best of a broken system. Case Workers are over worked and under appreciated. Foster Parents with all good intentions have limitations in financial resources, health care and skills to help children with a huge variety of emotional needs. Foster kids, what can you say? There are so many different types of kids, different situations, different needs and wants. Kids who are great but fall through the cracks. Kids who are not so great who just need someone to care to turn them around. Kids who need an intervention to scare them into something great.

The interview and endorsement by Chris Quomo of Rosie O'Donnel's new movie pricked interest and heart strings. This is a tough subject, but it is a reality. Rosie's new movie is called "America" and will be shown on Lifetime on Feb. 28 at 9 pm, March 1 at 8 pm and March 3 at 8 pm (et/pt). The movie is based on the book "America" by E.R. Frank. For more about the movie and book go to Lifetime: http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/movies/america

Why do I care about this subject? We fostered to adopt one of our sons. The 18 months that he was classified a foster child were heart wrenching. I am greatly disappointed how the program is administered, but I am extremely thankful for the result in our family. We are one of the lucky ones. How many more are not so lucky?