Opioid epidemic spawns foster care crisis in Hamilton County

WEBVTT NrtEED PEOPLE -->> TO DATE WE HAVE FOSTEREDPRETTY CLOrtSE TO 110, MAYBE 112CHILDREN.MIKE: JAMES TAYLOR HAS LASTEDKIDS FOR TWO DAYS, FIVE YEARS.rtUNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE NOTENOUGH PEOPLE LIKE HIM.IT IS THE CHILDREN OF HEROINADDICTS WHO WILL BE HIT HARD BYTHE SHORTAGE.rt>> IT IS A WAY BIGGER PROBLEMTHAN WHAT WE ARE PERCEIVING ITTO BE RIGHT NOW.MIKE:rt 15,000 KIDS NEED HOMES ANDTHE STATE ONLY HAS 7200 FOSTERFAMILIES.AS OF AUGUSTrt 6, JOB AND FAMILYSERVICES HAD CUSTODY OF 33,000CHILDREN.rt-- 3300 CHILDREN.IT IS ALL ABOUT HEROIN.>>rt WE NEED FOSTER PARENTS DAILY.rtTHE DIFFERENT COUNTIES THAT WEWORK WITH, THERE ARE CHILDRENPULLED EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THEWEEK AND ON WEEKENDS, DAY ANDNIGHT AREArt -- DAY AND NIGHT.MIKE: HER ORGANIZATION CONNECTSFAMILIES HIT HARD BY HEROIN WITHrtRESOURCES THEY NEED.THE SCARY TRENDS SHE ARE NOT --SHE IS SAYING THAT A FAMILYPHOTON HEROIN.>>rt THERE ARE THE ONES THAT DONOT HAVE THE BASIC NECESSITIES.THIS IS WHAT THEY ARE LIVING IN.MIKE:rt THE FINANCIAL COST ISDEVASTATING AS WELL.THEY WILL SPEND $50 MILLION INOUT OF HOME CARE COSTS.COrtMPARE THAT TO LAST YEAR ANDTHAT 2016 NUMBER WAS THE HIGHESTIN YEARS.rtFOSTER CARE CHALLENGE WILL BEDIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH.IT ALL STARTS WITH PEOPLEDECIDING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.>>rt DO YOU HAVE AN OPEN HEART?WE NEED EVERYONE WE POSSIBLY CANTO GET INVOLVED.rtWE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THIS COUNTRY