Part four in a series

Chemical dependency and domestic abuse has certain families cycling through correctional and human service programs, but the state has decreasing means to combat the problem due to ongoing budget concerns.

“The big problem we have right now is money,” foster mother Marsha Pawluk said. “That’s all they’re saying: Money, money, money. We’re forgetting about these kids. We’re getting kids that should be in foster care — should have some severe help, and they’re not getting it.”

Correctional Services Director Steve King said about six to eight juveniles a year take up about 70 percent of the cost in juvenile probation and they refuse to stop criminal behavior.

Many of the difficult cases go to Pawluk. While Pawluk admits some juveniles enter her home straight out of treatment, not all of the children sent to Pawluk’s foster home committed a crime. Most are sent because of a breakdown in the family, often due to abuse or chemical dependency. In many cases, the issues are no fault of the child, Pawluk said.

“They haven’t had the opportunities to be a child,” she said.

Children are placed out of the home for two reasons: They’ve committed a crime and are placed through Correctional Services, or they are placed because of unsafe living conditions through Human Services.

Pawluk has seen success stories — children from abusive or chemically dependent families going on to college or the military. But that can only happen when a child has opportunities.

For many years, Pawluk’s home was used for long-term foster care. One child even lived there 14 years. But now, she’s being used as a short-term facility.

“They don’t have the money for this,” Pawluk said.

Time, Pawluk said, is becoming one of the biggest challenges. The budget crisis has slashed services, and long-term foster care has been affected.

“We have to have time for this,” Pawluk said. “This is not a 30, 60 day thing. It’s sixth months to a year.”

King said it has become more difficult to address juvenile crime. Since the Sheriff’s Youth Ranch closed, children have had to be transported out of the county at an added expense.

Many such programs have closed as counties put restrictions on their budgets. When it comes to juvenile crime, counties are being more selective and see placements as a last resort.

But King noted some some placements can’t be avoided.

“I can’t sit by and see a kid in need of some service — whether it be a chemical dependency or a sex offense — and do nothing,” King said. “I think doing nothing, they’re a danger to the public, they’re a danger to themselves.”

King said the bulk of juveniles are only placed out of the home for a matter of days — not months or years. This poses challenges as children often fall back into the same problems when they go home.

“When they return, they’re returning typically to the same environment that they lived in before,” he said.

Many juveniles leaving a group home or foster home expressed a positive attitude toward the rules and structure they were subject to. That sentiment doesn’t transfer back to the home.

“‘I liked having rules.’ ‘I knew the expectations.’ Those are the comments we get from kids,” King said. “But yet parents don’t seem to want to set the rules and have that accountability and that’s what bothers me.”

Pawluk said the children — and parents — only need to learn to adapt to certain things in order to be successful.

One key is a high school diploma, but Pawluk said many children are now voluntarily leaving foster homes when they turn 18. In the past, Pawluk said they stayed until they finished their high school education. Pawluk will work with her foster children in order to help them get jobs and driver’s licenses.

“We have to get them prepared to be going out in this world,” Pawluk said. Despite budget concerns, Pawluk said these children need to be given the opportunity to succeed.

“Just because they’re here, doesn’t mean they’re bad kids,” Pawluk said. “They just had a bad rep.”