Arlene L. - Educator

[Name changed at the request of participant]:

“Kelly, is a 3 years old born expose to methadone, and a 51 A was filed at the hospital and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) performed an emergency removal. She was placed in foster care for 11 months. Her mother engaged in services, such as a parenting class for 9 weeks, and attended the methadone clinic for treatment for several months. Kelly was granted temporary custody 1 year later, temporarily and four months then after her mother was granted permanent custody. Mother was employed, for the duration of her Methadone treatment but was unable to pay for child care. The mother utilized a DCF voucher to enroll her daughter in child care for a year. The case eventually closed in 2019. Once the case closed the family received an additional year. The mother struggled with attending the methadone clinic, attending meetings, and working a full-time job. Over time it became difficult to juggle all these services within a day and focus on her sobriety. DCF voucher provided child care but without it, the parent expressed that she would struggle financially to cover the cost. Affordable Child should be essential to all by increasing the child care assistance for low-income families and middle class working families, who also require mental health services. Although families are excited about the closing of their cases, that’s one weight lifted. For Kelly’s mom, the fear and worries of having to pay for child care became a concern when the additional year of care ended with the Department. Kelly’s mom spoke about how mental health is such a big factor in her life and to stay on the right path with treatment, can become overwhelming if resources like child care are cut out, forcing families like her to want their cases with the Department of Children and Families to stay open just to have the child care voucher.”