Nebraska lifts ban on gay people being foster parents

[Omaha Steve]

Source: OMAHA WORLD HERALD

By Martha Stoddard

LINCOLN — Nebraska child welfare officials have quietly abandoned a controversial 20-year-old policy that bars gays and lesbians from becoming foster parents.

According to Gov. Pete Ricketts’ spokesman, the state’s current procedure no longer considers the sexual orientation of people seeking to foster or adopt state wards.

Nor does the procedure bar children from being placed with licensed foster parents simply because of the parents’ sexual orientation.

“The policy hasn’t changed but the Department (of Health and Human Services) has fallen out of compliance with it,” Ricketts spokesman Taylor Gage said Friday.

FULL story & video at link.

The policy

» Has been in place since 1995

» Bans unmarried, unrelated adults who live together from becoming foster parents

» Applies to homosexual couples, unmarried heterosexual couples and platonic roommates

» Bars people who identify themselves as homosexuals, whether they live with a partner or not

» Was removed from the HHS website in mid-February


Read more: http://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/nebraska-lifts-ban-on-gay-people-being-foster-parents/article_742579c4-06da-5a69-8e3a-8f7a46e5bb2c.html

[RKP5637]

1. Excellent!!! n/t

[tomsaiditagain]

2. Freedom wins again

In the land of right wing anti-freedom politics its a win for a redneck state. Yeah!

[DonViejo]

3. In 1985, when then Mass Gov Mike Dukakis implemented

the same type policy here in the Commonwealth, the Child Welfare League of America strongly came out against his policy stating, there was only one principle to be the guide on child placement: the best interests of the child. National organizations for Social Workers, psychologists, psychiatrists and even Dr Benjamin Spock came out against the Dukakis policy. Dukakis didn't listen though, it took a five year court battle, and losses in lower courts before the Governor decided to negotiate a settlement.