Vision, hearing, and dental problems are also especially prevalent among the children in the child welfare system. Mental health problems are particularly widespread. Adolescents living with foster parents or in group homes have about four times the rate of serious psychiatric disorders than those living with their own families. A substantial number of these children have psychological problems so serious that they require residential placement. Despite this level of need, less than one-third of children in the child protective system are receiving mental health services.
Developmental disabilities affect a high proportion of children who are abused or neglected.
Between 14 and 18 percent of all pregnancies involve fetal alcohol or drug exposure. Infants are entering the child welfare system in record numbers, at least partly as a result of the substance abuse epidemic. Over three-fourths of these infants were drug exposed. None of these infants was expected to leave the hospital in the care of a biological parent. Fifty-four percent of the abandoned infants were expected to be placed in foster family care, and six percent were expected to move into adoptive placements.