MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — Maryland’s foster care system is seeing a wave of proposed reforms from Governor Wes Moore, aimed at addressing long-standing challenges, including a shortage of safe placements for children.
But advocates stress that real change will depend on accountability and follow-through.
About 400 children are in foster care in Montgomery County alone on any given day. While there is cautious optimism among local advocates, they warn that announcements alone won’t solve the deep-rooted issues affecting the system.
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Moore’s reforms include expanding licensed group home beds and setting statewide standards for one-on-one caregivers, particularly for children with complex needs. The goal is to improve oversight and reduce the reliance on temporary or inappropriate placements.
Franca Davis, executive director of Voices for Children Montgomery, told 7News, “We have a placement crisis in Maryland as we do across the country. So that, kids who are removed from homes in Montgomery County could be placed on the Eastern Shore because there are no appropriate places in Montgomery County for them. And that causes all kinds of downstream negative effects for the children.”
Davis added, “Because of the placement crisis, we have kids who are placed or mismatched with placements because there aren’t enough placements that match the kid.”
Rob Scheer, founder of Comfort Cases and a former foster youth, said the reforms are a step in the right direction but stressed that beds alone are not enough. “Yes, it’s going to help for us to have beds. But again, it’s not just the beds. These kids deserve to have homes. We have to stop thinking about whole beds. It’s having homes, it’s having stability.”
Even with the reforms, some children still end up in hotels, and lawmakers are pushing to end long hospital stays where kids have nowhere to go. Advocates say the key now is ensuring the reforms are properly implemented.
“I will tell you, it’s huge. If there’s accountability,” Scheer said, emphasizing that the success of these reforms hinges on consistent oversight.
For children and families navigating the foster care system, these changes bring hope — but only time and follow-through will determine whether Maryland can finally provide the stability and safety these children deserve.
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