(LEX 18) — A licensed drug and alcohol counselor is speaking out after a Mar. 9 report from the Kentucky Auditor's Office found foster children are being placed in unsafe temporary housing.
Mary Hicks said she is frustrated by the issues detailed in a report from the Commonwealth Office of the Ombudsman regarding the way Kentucky officials handle kids in state care.
"When I say enough is enough, I mean it is too much. It has been going on for far too long," Hicks said.
The report, released to the Kentucky Auditor's Office, found 304 children were in non-traditional placement for 1,577 days from January 2023 through October 2024.
LEX 18 asked Hicks if she believes the foster system is broken.
"Absolutely, it is. I don't think so. I unequivocally know so," she said.
The issue is personal for Hicks. The state took her children on Mar. 10, 2004, when she had a substance abuse disorder.
"What they did was try to adopt my children out without even giving me a chance," she said.
When another family was allowed to move to Peoria, Illinois with Hicks' children, she became fully committed to her recovery and case plan.
"I saw this as an opportunity to make those true life changes and get the stability in my life that I so desired and knew was right for my kids," Hicks said.
Hicks filed a motion with the court. A judge ruled in her favor and her children were returned to her November of 2005.
"Myself and the respite foster care family were called to testify before the legislative review committee, which we did," Hicks said.
Considering her journey, Hicks hopes any problems within the Kentucky foster care system will be thoroughly and adequately defined.
"From that point, you start working on solutions, but this can't take time. This has to happen immediately... an immediate audit with, maybe, some key markers in place, some things that we definitely know are emergency crisis would be the first place to start, then a lot of training for the people on the front lines needs to happen and a lot of support for them," Hicks said.
Kentucky Auditor Allison Ball said the findings from her office in this audit are heartbreaking. Ball said it is clear the Cabinet for Health and Family Services is failing foster children across Kentucky.
