Perhaps this will be a first step toward ending Alaska’s awful distinction as the foster care capital of America. As of 2015, the most recent year for which comparative data are available, Alaska tore apart families at the third highest rate in America – even when rates of child poverty are factored in.  When it comes to the number of children in foster care on any given day, Alaska was number one. Details here: http://bit.ly/2xRaW8f  There is no evidence that Alaska is the child abuse capital of America. The problems cited as reasons for Alaska’s high rate of tearing apart families, are as or more common in other states that take proportionately fewer children.

Nor does Alaska’s obscene rate of removal make children safer. All the time, money and effort spent needlessly removing children, often when family poverty is confused with “neglect,” is stolen from finding children in real danger.
Richard Wexler
Executive Director
National Coalition for Child Protection Reform
www.nccpr.org