Foster Kids in Hotels and Offices | Lawrence News

A new federal audit exposes a shocking reality: over 9,000 kids in foster care spent time in hotels, office buildings, and other unlicensed spaces—often for weeks or even months—because states couldn’t find safe, legal placements. The crisis hit hardest for older teens and those with behavioral or mental health needs, with Arizona and Texas leading the way. Nearly 30% of these emergency stays lasted five days or more, including one child stuck in a hotel for eight months. Eight states didn’t track this data at all, suggesting the true scale is far worse. This system, strained by the opioid epidemic and pandemic fallout, leaves thousands of children without stable, safe homes. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/5cc27a9529b5ca48