A reporter seeks answers on the use of residential treatment programs nationwide — and the rationale for sending kids away from home.
Poverty and Class
A reporter finds rising needs, funding gaps, and families forced to give up custody for care.
For kids in state custody like Brie Lamarche, New Hampshire’s strained foster care system can lead to placements thousands of miles from home.
Homeless people make up over 30% of Sacramento jail bookings, costing millions annually. Many have serious mental illness and lack basic necessities.
Public records show that more than 700 homeless people are arrested each month on a variety of charges that are, a county official said, often tied to homelessness itself, even when they’re not directly related to camping.
“The system is not set up for us,” says Essence Graves, a longtime social worker.
Rising food costs in Oakland are forcing low-income families to choose cheap, unhealthy food, worsening chronic health issues like diabetes and hypertension. Aid programs fall short, and local investment is lacking.
Watch highlights from Spotlight PA’s April 10 forum on the opioid crisis in Reading, Pa.
From 2011–2021, 300,000+ kids lost a parent to overdoses. Despite billions in opioid settlements, grandparents caring for them receive little support.
The severity of youth mental health needs intensified after the COVID-19 pandemic, with more children exhibiting extreme behaviors.