By Bruce Lesley
Nebraska’s progress on foster care (“Nebraska hits all 6 federal marks for protecting children — for the first time ever,” March 10 World-Herald) is encouraging. But Congress also has room for improvement.
The shrinking pool for federal foster care funding covers less than half of foster children today, and fewer by 2024. States tap funding for other social services, but that just shifts resources from one set of kids and families to another. Worse yet, inadequate federal funding shortchanges prevention efforts that help parents manage mental health, substance abuse, financial distress and other risk factors for abuse and neglect…