State Settles Class Action Foster Care Suit

The state's Department of Human Services says that it will no longer house foster children in hotels or its offices - unless it's an emergency, according to a settlement announced Tuesday. The move settles a class action lawsuit filed in September.

The settlement, which was reached last week, was first reported by the Statesman Journal.

The suit had painted a bleak picture of the system in place for taking care of foster children home.

"Tonight, some of the most vulnerable children in the state of Oregon will sleep on temporary cots in state offices; in hotel rooms; in hospitals, despite being cleared for discharge;
or in juvenile detention facilities, despite the absence of any criminal charge against them." the lawsuit said.

"Some may have spent the day sitting in a DHS office, missing school. These are children over whom the state has custody. Some are as young as two years old; many are children with disabilities; all have experienced trauma."

And, the suit charged: "the state has removed these children from their homes despite not having any home to move them to."

State officials were not required to admit any liability and lawyers are still allowed to pursue claims against DHS related to their housing of foster children.

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