Oregon has agreed to stop temporarily housing foster children in hotel rooms, under an agreement to settle a 2016 lawsuit.
Two years ago, an investigation by OPB found that a lack of foster homes meant some kids were spending weeks in hotel rooms.
One child was housed for 80 days in a hotel.
Attorneys with Oregon's chapter of CASA filed suit. Tuesday's agreement settles that complaint.
The Oregon Department of Human Services has agreed to incrementally reduce the number of kids in hotels to no more than 24 per year by 2020. Additionally, children under the age of 11 cannot spend more than five nights in a hotel room.
If a child is housed in a hotel, the state must ensure he or she is transported to school.
The agreement also bans the state from temporarily lodging kids in welfare offices — except under limited circumstances.
The state has also agreed to hire an expert to uncover the root causes of emergency hotel placements and to find alternatives to the practice.
"State child welfare officials and children's advocates agreed that we all want to see children placed in stable and safe home-like settings that are close to their family and school," said Richard Vangelisti, a temporary guardian for two girls who were designated as plaintiffs in the suit.
Oregon CASA president Betsy Stark-Miller said every child brought into foster care should able to transition easily to a permanent, safe and caring home.
"This settlement agreement will require us to work together. Our shared priority has always been finding the best solution for the children," she said.
Copyright 2018 Oregon Public Broadcasting
