Children living in Oregon’s rural counties are far more likely to spend at least one day in the state’s foster care system than their peers in urban areas, according to a new analysis by InvestigateWest. The study examined five years of data from the Department of Human Services, calculating placement rates based on each county’s population of residents age 17 and under.

Rural rates double those of cities

On average, rural counties placed kids in foster care at almost double the rate of urban counties. Some southeastern counties recorded rates three times higher than Multnomah County, the state’s most populous urban area. While the total number of children in foster care statewide has declined since 2020, the drop was slightly slower in rural counties.

Underlying challenges

Experts say the disparity reflects broader obstacles that families in remote areas face when trying to connect to health care, behavioral health services and other welfare programs. When such supports are unavailable, neighbors, doctors or teachers may feel compelled to report suspected mistreatment, and caseworkers often have few alternatives other than removal and placement.

“Rural areas have a harder time keeping kids out of the foster care system because of the lack of support,” said Jeremy Harle, executive director of Kairos NW, a youth mental‑health provider that runs foster‑care programs along the Oregon coast. “Removal becomes the default response because the community lacks the resources at home.”

State efforts to expand prevention

Oregon’s Department of Human Services has been working to broaden access to preventative services as part of a 2024 settlement in a class‑action lawsuit over alleged mistreatment of children in care. New financial assistance and intensive support programs aim to help families avoid placement both before a case is opened and after a child is removed.

However, advocates note that many of these programs are still concentrated along the Interstate 5 corridor and on the western side of the state. A May report to Governor Tina Kotek confirmed that only a handful of counties currently receive the expanded services.

Emily Cooper, legal director at Disability Rights Oregon, which helped bring the lawsuit, said the state is moving in the right direction but warned that rural families still face significant barriers. “There’s a real promise that kids shouldn’t have to leave their homes and communities to get the services they need,” she said.

County‑by‑county snapshot

Malheur County, a remote high‑desert area on the southeastern border, had the highest placement rate in 2025—about one child in every 35. Neighboring Lake and Grant counties reported similar rates, with one in every 36 and 42 children, respectively. By contrast, Multnomah County saw roughly one placement per 122 children.

Lane County, which includes the city of Eugene, was the only urban county with a rate comparable to rural areas, at one in every 72 children. The three least‑populated counties—Wheeler, Gilliam and Sherman—had the lowest rates, though the small youth populations make the data less reliable.

Trends over time

Statewide, the number of children in foster care fell from nearly 10,000 in 2020 to just over 6,900 in 2022, a decline the department attributes to expanded preventative services and improved case management. Between 2022 and 2025, the overall foster‑care population dropped about 11%, with rural counties seeing a 9% decline and urban counties a 12% decline.

Despite the overall downward trend, a modest increase in placements was observed between 2024 and 2025, particularly in rural counties. Department officials are monitoring the data to determine whether this signals a longer‑term shift.

Reasons for removal

Neglect accounted for roughly 56% of all removals last year, according to the department. Under Oregon law, neglect can include failure to seek medical or behavioral health care, leaving a child unsupervised for extended periods, or exposing a child to drugs, alcohol or other hazards.

Poverty remains a key risk factor, and many families in remote areas lack easy access to the health, behavioral and financial services that can prevent maltreatment or help reunite parents with their children after removal.

Stakeholders continue to call for broader distribution of preventative programs, better transportation options for rural families, and increased funding for community‑based supports that can keep children safely at home.

Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.