Via the Indiana Law Blog, the Associated Press has a story on Indiana’s efforts to pass the buck on raising special needs children by classifying them as not being special needs.
Indiana is trying to shift hundreds of foster children with medical, emotional or behavioral problems into cheaper care for children without special needs, a move that cuts payments to families who care for the state’s most challenged children.
The change would give foster families less money to pay for therapy, food and clothing and other costs. And some fear that fewer families could volunteer for the job in the future because they’d have to cover the bills themselves.
Foster parents who provide homes for special-needs children are paid up to $100 a day. Under the state’s new plan, many would receive $25 or less.
This is a pay-me-now or pay-me-later situation. If you don’t get these kids proper help now, you will be paying for their incarceration down the road.
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