Youth Court Judge says there is a dire need for foster homes

Some foster kids are sent hours away, due to lack of foster homes in Northeast Mississippi

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Lee County Youth Court Judge Staci Bevill is in her second term, and there is one issue that continues to get worse.

“We are in a crisis state that we need foster homes,” said Judge Staci Bevill.

Judge Bevill says a majority of the cases where children need to be placed in foster care involve drug offenses by the parents.   And while the court and Child Protective Services try to place kids with other family members, it’s not always possible.

She says the lack of available foster homes causes even more problems for kids who are in crisis, through no fault of their own.

“What is concerning is we have children not only removed from their families but they are removed from communities and support system, those children are sent to Meridian, as far away as coast, for placement,” Judge Bevill said.

Currently, the Mississippi Department of Child Protective Services has 4,002  in its custody.   One hundred and 79 of those kids are in Lee County.   Abby Young is assistant deputy commissioner with the state CPS, overseeing ten counties.   She says the need for foster homes is greater now than ever before.

“It is a tough job and requires someone with a passion and a purpose for it, I don’t know of any circumstance that has necessarily decreased our number of foster parents but I know our foster parents we have had for a long time are getting older,  some have adopted and can no longer accept children in their home,” Young said.

“People say , it’s just a CPS problem, it’s not, it’s  a community problem, these children in these families go to school with your children, worshiping with your children, they are living life every day in our communities,  it is a community problem,” Judge Bevill said.

Judge Bevill and her youth court staff along with CPS workers have a deep concern for kids in crisis situations.  They will be the first to say that government doesn’t make great parents.  That is why they are hoping more people will step up and answer the call for the kids.

If you would like any information about being a foster parent, or helping in other ways, call 1 800 821 9157 or go to mdcps.ms.gov/programs/foster-care

The application process for foster parents can take up to six months.