In December, the number of kids in foster care in Ohio hit its lowest mark in nine years. But caseloads have been increasing in Northeast Ohio鈥檚 rural areas. Many case managers and experts say growing mental health issues are the cause, coupled with the fact that foster care can act as a stand-in for a lack of other support services in some areas.
What are case managers working in the foster care system in some of Northeast Ohio鈥檚 rural counties seeing on the ground?
The state overall has seen a in kids under the foster care system. In the 2024-2025 school year, 14,455 students were in foster care in Ohio 鈥� the lowest level since 2016.
However, some case managers in Richland County, a partly rural county, say the number of kids there is increasing, not decreasing.
In the annual report from Richland County Children鈥檚 Services, the county cared for around 129 children per month in . But Brigitte Coles, the community engagement supervisor, said the monthly average for the last year was anywhere from 145 to 175 kids, a big jump over a short span of time.
What are some of the issues foster care service providers in rural areas are facing?
Many young people are struggling with their mental health, as is the case across the country. The difference is that rural areas sometimes use the foster care system as a stand-in for mental health care for young people, , an assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University.
鈥淵ou're a rural county," Crampton said. "You don't have many mental health services. You don't have facilities for a young adult in crisis. One approach would be to use foster care dollars to try to provide some support for them.鈥�
A recent from the Health Policy Institute of Ohio shows that 75 of Ohio鈥檚 88 counties don鈥檛 have enough mental health professionals. Mary Stephan, an independent living case worker for Richland County Children Services, said that鈥檚 also translating to a lack of case managers and social workers in her area.
鈥淩ight now, I have 54 youth on my caseload,鈥� Stephan said. 鈥淪o that's a lot, and I travel all over Toledo, Dayton, Youngstown. So that鈥檚 a lot of traveling.鈥�
Even with the increased caseload, she said there are plenty of situations where foster kids lead successful and healthy lives. But the shortage in mental health workers in rural areas can continue to affect kids even after they leave the foster system. Chrishyra Whitfield, supervisor for the Bridges program at Northeast Ohio Adoptive Services, said it鈥檚 hard under any circumstances for kids to transition to new therapists once they become adults.
鈥淚f they've been seeing one therapist for three years, they don't want to open up to somebody new,鈥� Whitfield said. 鈥淪o, that can present a challenge when we're looking into mental health services, but we will do whatever we can to help them.鈥�
High mental health worker shortages in rural areas compound the problem.
So what are some solutions?
Crampton said first, policy makers must recognize the foster care system in rural areas is handling issues it wasn鈥檛 built to handle.
鈥淭he tools they have now are the tools of investigating child abuse and the most serious cases putting the kids in foster care, Crampton said. 鈥淲ell, that's the wrong kind of tools for these young adults in crisis.鈥�
He said Ohio lawmakers need to put more money into programs that target and address poverty in rural areas, like subsidized housing and apprenticeships for young people.
Nyasha Oden, a case worker at New Mercy Outreach in Mansfield, said there鈥檚 also a need for more adult role models for kids 鈥� whether or not that鈥檚 through formal fostering.
鈥淭hese children need our help, they need our guidance, they need our support,鈥� Oden said.
Oden urged people to sign up for mentorship programs or consider short-term foster parenting for as little as a week or two. She said many case managers hold community events so kids can make social connections with adults, as well.
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