Foster Care

This week on Inside Appalachia, we talk with folks who are planting seeds of change — literally and figuratively. While many are finding joy through their gardens and food work, there are some people in Appalachia who are going through some of the most challenging times of their lives.

The pandemic has reshaped our world in many ways. Can you remember what life was like before you wore a mask to the grocery store? This has been a historic year for so many people, and we wanted to mark the moment. Let’s be clear, the pandemic isn’t over yet. But it’s good to think back on how far we’ve come. In this week’s episode of Inside Appalachia, we check back in with some of the people we've had on our show over the past year, and hear how they're doing now.

On this West Virginia Morning, West Virginia’s foster care system has been overrun in recent years. We explore how deep trauma has affected children in foster care and how some struggle to find their place as they age out of the system. Also, we bring you a conversation with author Charles Dodd on his new novel “How Fire Runs,” and we have the latest coronavirus news in the state.

If you live in Appalachia, or for that matter, if you’ve ever lived in Appalachia, you are a part of our family. It defines us.

On this West Virginia Morning, we look at West Virginia’s overburdened foster care system and how the U.S. Department of Justice has been working with state officials for years to try to improve conditions. Also, we bring you this week’s Mountain Stage Song of the Week from songwriter Sam Beam.

About 400,000 children across the U.S. are growing up inside the foster care system, overseen by government employees who are overworked, and agencies that are historically underfunded. When the opioid epidemic hit, foster care systems saw a massive increase in the number of kids in their care. West Virginia has been hit particularly hard. The state has the nation’s highest rate of children removed from their home and put into foster care.

It’s been quite a stressful couple of months for most of us. For this episode of Inside Appalachia, we wanted to slow down, take a breath, and talk about one of our favorite foods — cookies!We'll get some baking tips on a very special kind of cookie, made with local buckwheat and stone ground flour.

Within the past decade, the number of children in the state’s foster care system has increased by 67 percent. Approximately 7,000 children are in state custody. The system swelled as the opioid drug epidemic took a significant toll on West Virginians. Parental drug use has been a factor in many cases where children were removed from their homes.

A complaint filed last year against West Virginia officials, alleging that they violated the rights of a dozen foster care children, could expand after…

On this West Virginia Morning, we talk a little bit about the coronavirus’ impact on health insurance and foster families. Also, in this show, we hear…