How Can My Church Help Heal Arkansas’ Children?

Nearly 600,000 children across the United States are in foster care. In Arkansas, that number is 3,000-plus. Why so many? Two reasons:

First, the physical safety of the children requires it. Many of these children come from homes filled with violence, poverty, and despair. Serious parental substance abuse problems – drug addiction or alcoholism – are present 75% of the time. The children often suffer chronic neglect, or worse – physical, emotional, or even sexual abuse. Foster care provides temporary safety.

Second, as the number of children in need of safe surroundings and a nurturing home continues to grow, the number of available foster families has been decreasing in recent years. So more and more kids remain institutionalized.

What’s worse, the U.S. Surgeon General estimates that 90% of children in foster care require mental health services. But only a small fraction actually receives it.