In New Hanover County alone, which has an estimated population of about 220,000 people, more than 1100 kids are served by programs through the Brigade Boys and Girls Club.
Two-and-a-half years ago, 352 children were in the foster care program in New Hanover County. Today, the number is closer to 450 – with county staff reporting an across-the-board increase over the last year-and-a-half. When we last addressed this topic more than two years ago, officials could not clearly identify the reasons for the spike that had already begun. Today, they hold up the opioid epidemic as a prime factor.
Guests:
Brian Bocnuk, Social Services Manager specializing in Foster Care and Adoption Assistance, New Hanover County Department of Social Services
Rick Sears, Chief Executive Officer, Brigade Boys & Girls Club
Resources:
Brigade Boys & Girls Club: http://brigadebgc.org/
Foster Care Services in New Hanover County: https://socialservices.nhcgov.com/foster-care/
Foster Care Services in Brunswick County: http://www.brunswickcountync.gov/social-services/foster/