Government Aid

Government aid is a very important aspect of the foster care system. Without government assistance, the kids of the foster care system would be unable to have a roof over their heads, food, clothes, and safe enviroments which every child should have.

Over the years the population in the foster care system has grown. Federal funding for foster care has also increased rapidly in recent years. In 1989, the federal government spent $1.2 billion dollars on reimbursing state spending on foster care. In 2004, federal spending on foster care reached $6.2 billion dollars--an increase of over 420% within 15 years. As federal funding for fostercare has gradually increased, so has the number of children entering the foster care system. In 1989, the number of recipients receiving foster care assistance payments was 156,871 per month. In 2004 the number increased to 386,300 per month, an increase of almost 150%.

This chart shows the monthly aid that each state receives.

 

age 0-2

age 9-11

age 15-17

as of date

Source

Rural Areas - USDA est. monthly expenditure places of fewer than 2,500 people outside a Metropolitan Statistical Area

$683

$708

$785

USDA: Lino, M. (2001). Expenditures on children by famlies, 2000 annual report.

 

age 0-2

age 9-11

age 15-17

as of date

Source

Urban Midwest - USDA est. monthly expenditure

$674

$705

$781

USDAi

Illinois

$343

$382

$415

1998

NDASii

Indiana

$486

$536

$603

1998

NDASii

Iowa

$434

$458

$512

11/00

Kansas

N/A

N/A

N/A

NDASii

Michigan

$426

$426

$526

12/01

Minnesota

$458

$458

$561

1998

NDASii

Missouri

$316

$364

$392

1998

NDASii

Nebraska

$222

$292

$352

02/98

North Dakota

$317

$359

$469

1998

NDASii

Ohio

$603

$603

$603

1998

NDASii

South Dakota

$353

$353

$424

1998

NDASii

Wisconsin

$289

$315

$374

1998

NDASii

age 0-2

age 9-11

age 15-17

as of date

Source

Urban South - USDA est. monthly expenditure

$739

$757

$839

USDAi

Alabama

$350

$374

$386

01/02

B. Schaffer, personal communication

Arkansas

$400

$425

$475

1998

NDASii

Delaware

$410

$410

$511

1998

NDASii

District of Columbia

$445

$445

$536

1998

NDASii

Florida

$345

$355

$425

1998

NDASii

Georgia

$388

$411

$433

2001

Kentucky

$599

$599

$660

Louisiana

$331

$365

$399

1998

NDASii

Maryland

$535

$535

$550

since 1992

Mississippi

$325

$355

$390

1998

NDASii

North Carolina

$315

$365

$415

since 1995

Oklahoma

$300

$360

$420

1998

NDASii

South Carolina

$212

$239

$305

1998

NDASii

Tennessee

$336

$262

$385

1998

NDASii

Texas

N/A

N/A

N/A

NDASii

Virginia

$270

$316

$400

1998

NDASii

West Virginia

$400

$400

$400

1998

NDASii

age 0-2

age 9-11

age 15-17

as of date

Source

Urban Northeast

$749

$783

$861

USDAi

Connecticut

$687

$703

$773

07/01

Maine

N/A

N/A

N/A

NDASii

Massachusetts

$448

$464

$515

1998

NDASii

New Hampshire

N/A

N/A

N/A

NDASii

New Jersey

$400

$430

$500

03/99

New York

$419 upstate $460 metro

$504 upstate $541 metro

$583 upstate $626 metro

07/01

www.nysccc.org

Pennsylvania

N/A

N/A

N/A

NDASii

Rhode Island

$308

$285

$340

1998

NDASii

Vermont

$436

$483

$535

07/00

age 0-2

age 9-11

age 15-17

as of date

Source

Urban West

$789

$818

$894

USDAi

Alaska

$652

$580

$689

1998

NDAS National Data Analysis System.

Arizona

N/A

N/A

N/A

NDASii

California

$375

$436

$528

1998

NDASii

Colorado

$349

$392

$423

1998

NDASii

Hawaii

N/A

N/A

N/A

NDASii

Idaho

$251

$275

$394

07/00

Steve Green, DHW

Montana

N/A

N/A

N/A

NDASii

Nevada

$403

$403

$494

1998

NDASii

New Mexico

$308

$341

$367

1998

NDASii

Oregon

$356

$370

$457

1998

NDASii

Utah

$326

$326

$326

1998

NDASii

Washington

$338

$410

$481

1998

NDASii

Wyoming

$400

$400

$400

1998

NDASii

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Work Cited:

"Foster Care Facts and Resources" 7.26.02 www.pbs.org/now/society/fosterres.html

"Statistics" March 06, 2006 <http://www.acf.hhs.gov/news/stats/hsfacts98.htm>

National Data Analysis System <http://ndas.cwla.org>

Cost of raising a child. <http://www.afpag.org/cost-of-raising-a-child1.pdf>