Economics blamed for splitting foster siblings

Thursday, May 7, 1998 | 9:57 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The state is blaming a lack of money for splitting up brothers and sisters when assigning them to foster homes.

Stephen Shaw, director of the state Division of Children and Family Services, spoke Wednesday before the state committee that holds hearings and assists in running the government between legislative sessions.

"We've split sibling groups for economic reasons," he told the Legislative Interim Finance Committee. "It upsets me and my workers. But you mandated us to keep a balanced budget."

Shaw said the practice is occurring only in Northern Nevada. The problem, he said, is that while the size of his staff has remained unchanged, the number of children handled by his agency has increased 29 percent.

Sen. Bill O'Donnell, R-Las Vegas, told Shaw, "This disturbs me no end. We need to find how much (is needed) to keep them together. This tears my heartstrings out."

Senate Majority Leader William Raggio, R-Reno, told Shaw not to read anything into the legislation that he should "break up siblings. That policy ought to be revised."

O'Donnell said later, "It makes you wonder why we closed Boulder City," referring to the decision of the Legislature to shut down the Southern Nevada Children's Home. "This is a perfect example of why we should support these institutions."