Birth Home Environments:
- 75% Have Severe Substance Abuse Problems (Drug addiction, alcoholism) 1996: 8,300,000 children lived in homes where drug or alcohol abuse was present
- Violence, Poverty, Despair are Common 3.3 million Cases of Abuse or Neglect Reported Nationally – 2005 49,928 Arkansas Children reported as abused or neglected – 2009 25% of Arkansas Children Live in Poverty 15% (209,000) live in Homes with No Telephone (9% Nationally)
- Chronic Neglect & Abuse (Physical, Emotional, Sexual) is Typical. 2009: 66% of children experienced neglect 19% of children experienced physical abuse 23% of children experienced sexual abuse
- Parents are Often Mentally or Physically Ill
Experts estimate that 42% to 60% of children in foster care require mental health care services.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children in foster care have disproportionately high rates of physical, developmental and mental health problems and often have unmet physical and mental health care needs.