LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Foster children -- some of whom are neglected, abused or delinquent -- are sleeping in a government-owned office building in downtown Louisville with no showers or beds.
On Tuesday, Kentucky Senator Julie Raque Adams (R-36) responded to the WHAS11 report revealing foster children are sleeping in the L&N Building because there is nowhere else for them to go.
The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services confirmed children in state custody are sleeping at the government-owned office space located at Ninth and Broadway. It's a ten-story building, filled with cubicles and offices.
"It's not fair to the social worker that has to stay overnight and take care of them, that's not their job," Raque Adams said. "Second, it's not fair to the child, it goes beyond any better practices that we use and we expect our providers to have."
She said she's known about the sleeping arrangements for months and sent a letter to the cabinet and Governor Andy Beshear in April, demanding answers and action. Three months later, she said little has changed.
"If there had been some sort of action plan, we wouldn't have kids sleeping on cots in the L&N Building," Raque Adams told WHAS11 on Tuesday.
A cabinet spokesperson said the stays usually last between one and three nights and the children are provided supplies needed for sleeping.
But the short stays are taking a toll, both on the social workers and the children they are trying to help heal.
"I'm looking at a baby and I'm looking them in the face and I'm saying it's not fair. Because a child should never have to be told that there is no one in the state of Kentucky that will take them," Ashlea Dodsworth said.
Dodsworth, a Jefferson County social worker, addressed the issue during this year's session in Frankfort, testifying to lawmakers during a committee meeting.
Raque Adams said she will call for discussion during next year's general assembly, but that's still seven months away.
The one person, she said, who has the ability to fix this now is Gov. Beshear.
"The administration has the ability to make quick changes when they see problems that arise. So it is incumbent upon them and their leadership to make these changes necessary, because what is happening right now is unacceptable," Raque Adams said.
WHAS11 reached out to Governor Beshear's office about the issue, and his plan to remedy it. His office did not respond directly, but we did receive a statement from the Cabinet which reads:
"There are tremendous challenges with placing youth with acute mental and behavioral problems or a history of violence or sexual aggression with foster families. While this is a challenge across the nation, in Kentucky we have taken steps to significantly increase payments to support more foster families. The use of the office space has been very limited and these children have been subsequently placed in an appropriate setting. We continue to work with foster families and service providers across the state to serve our most vulnerable children."
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