GADSDEN COUNTY, FL — Children in Gadsden County’s foster care system are being displaced hundreds of miles away due to a severe lack of local foster families and community resources.
Currently, there is only one family in Gadsden County accepting foster placements. Because local homes are unavailable, children are frequently sent as far away as Miami, Tampa, and Clearwater, and most do not return to the county.
DISC Village, the organization managing cases from the Florida Department of Children and Families, is also facing a critical funding shortage. Case managers told neighborhood reporter Tatyana Purifoy that there is zero funding for basic needs like shoes, clothes, and beds for non-judicial cases. They are forced to rely on community donations, which are primarily located in neighboring Leon County.
To help bridge the gap, local leaders met last week with Safe Families for Children to discuss early intervention strategies before cases even reach management.
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