From Deseret News archives:
South Jordan to mull foster-care registry
The South Jordan City Council tonight will consider an ordinance that would require foster families to register annually with police and would limit the number of free emergency calls they can make in a year.
Dallis Pierson, chief executive officer of the Utah Foster Care Foundation, said he hopes the ordinance doesn't pass.
"It unfairly targets people who are helping society take care of its vulnerable children," Pierson said.
The proposed ordinance comes from South Jordan Police Chief Lindsay Shepherd, who said multiple calls from foster-care providers to the police and fire departments have resulted in an unreasonable expense and workload for the city.
By creating a registry, city officials say they would be able to monitor foster parents and see that they partially reimburse the city for "excessive" emergency calls. Under the ordinance, foster families would be allotted three free police or fire calls in a 12-month period. A $100 fee would be assessed for each additional call.
City officials say they're trying to curb the number of calls from foster parents who are turning to police to act as disciplinarians for foster children.
"It creates a significant burden on our emergency services when we have to respond on those type of calls," Shepherd said.
News of the proposed ordinance came as a surprise to the Utah Department of Human Services. Spokeswoman Carol Sisco said Monday that she had not received any complaints about foster parents making excessive calls for emergency services.
"When there's an issue of public safety, (foster parents) certainly have the right to call police, as everyone else does," Sisco said.
All foster parents are trained by the Utah Foster Care Foundation and licensed by the Department of Human Services. Parents who are having problems with a foster child and need help know to call the foundation or their case worker from DCFS, she said.
"I think it would be very unusual for (excessive emergency calls) to be a problem," Sisco said. "If it is, it may be something that (DCFS) could work with police on."
There are 22 foster homes in South Jordan, according to DCFS. Of those, Shepherd said "very few" are creating problems for the city.
"The whole purpose of this ordinance is to deal with those very few that we're having the issues with," he said.
Shepherd said police have responded to emergency calls at one foster home 19 times this year. Of those calls, only five were for criminal issues, he said. The other 14 were for arguments or other family conflicts in which no crime had taken place.
