LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Louisville family and attorney are raising awareness about what they call a gap in resources for kids with behavior issues.
Romeo Cross tells WHAS11 finding help for his son has been next to impossible.
Cross said his pre-teen son has a long history of behavior issues and aggression. Cross himself is now in poor health, and needs help caring for and managing his son.
He and his family said they are having problems finding space in a facility that can house him.
They said they've filed a petition for dependency with the state. They recently brought the boy to the hospital on a 72-hour hold, but believe they are experiencing what they describe as a shortage of long-term in patient options.
"I don't want to bury my son, I don't want to see my son behind bars," Cross said. "He's a good kid, he's just making some bad decisions."
The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services confirmed the Department for Community Based Services was aware of a petition for dependency, and said the boy is currently in an emergency shelter.
Attorney Claudette Patton has been helping Cross, and said the lack of available space is a problem she's seen consistently through her career dealing with children's cases.
Patton said the Cross family has Medicaid, which she said can make it even more difficult to find an in patient provider.
"Resources get limited based on population, based on federal funding, based upon what grants are available at the time," she said. "But right now this is happening across the state of Kentucky."
Patton said staffing and lack of funds can impact the amount of beds available for young people in need of a facility.
Patton and Cross said it will take a community effort to improve the system, as well as behavior and violence issues among young people.
They want to see churches, community organizations and neighbors working together more.
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