The Raw Numbers
- There were 903,089 substantiated cases of child abuse or
neglect in 2001 in the United States.
- The number of children in the foster care system on September 30, 2001
was 542,000.
- Of those, approximately 50,000 were adopted out of the foster care
system.
- There were still 126,000 children waiting to be adopted at
that time. Returning home is not an option for these children
and youth.
Mental Health
- The US Department of Health & Human Services estimates that 75-80%
of children who need mental health services do not receive them.
- More than 80% of children in foster care have developmental,
emotional, or behavioral problems.
- Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among teens and young
adults.
- In the year 2000, 3,994 youth aged 15-24 committed suicide. That's
one every 2 hours.
Other Statistics
- In 2003, families with children accounted for 40% of the overall
homeless population in 25 major US cities.
- In 2001, the US Department of Health and Human Services estimated
that 47% of the homeless population in the US had aged out of the
fostere care system.
- In 2001, 13% of Americans ages 18-24 did not get a high school
diploma or pass an equivalency test
- An estimated 57% of children in 2001 were reunited
with thier parents or principal caretaker after an average stay
of 12 months in foster care.
- The average stay for all children in foster care in 2001 was
33 months.
- The 8 states with the most foster children in care (2001) are
as follows:
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| All statistics were taken from CWLA, PEW,
and AFCARS reports. |
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