Bend, OR – Oregon state officials are drafting a child welfare proposal for the upcoming legislative session, with the aim of expanding treatment options for foster children with complex needs, including mental health conditions. The initiative seeks to ease certain regulations in an effort to attract more service providers to care for children who have been difficult to place due to their high-acuity needs.

Michelle Pfeiffer, the Oregon Department of Human Services’ legislative child welfare coordinator, recently shared the proposal’s objectives with lawmakers, stressing its focus on helping foster children who face significant mental health challenges and other complex needs. According to Pfeiffer, the proposal would create opportunities for providers to offer treatment to these children, many of whom have been overlooked by existing foster care systems due to the severity and diversity of their conditions.

“We are trying to support the placement of children who have complex needs and are hard to place,” Pfeiffer said. “These are children who require specialized care and attention, which many current systems and providers are not equipped to provide.”

Despite the promise of addressing a critical gap in the foster care system, the proposal has already faced criticism. Opponents, including state Senator Sara Gelser, argue that relaxing regulations could undo the progress made in previous child welfare reforms. They contend that the changes may reduce the quality of care available to vulnerable children, ultimately rolling back protections put in place by the Legislature in recent years.

Some child welfare advocates have echoed these concerns, fearing that loosening regulations might prioritize expanding treatment options over maintaining high standards of care and safety for foster children.

In response to this opposition, Pfeiffer reassured lawmakers that the changes would be closely monitored to ensure that any regulatory adjustments still prioritize the well-being of children. The proposal, she emphasized, is designed to increase the number of providers willing to care for children with significant needs, which is seen as a crucial step in addressing the shortage of appropriate foster placements in the state.

As the legislative session approaches, the proposal is expected to be a topic of considerable debate. State officials are hopeful that the plan will help meet the needs of Oregon’s most vulnerable children, while critics remain cautious about the potential long-term impacts on child welfare.