“Indigent” Caskets for Montana’s Foster Kids: Foster Family Told State Doesn’t “Budget” for Foster Children Burials

Montana’s “Basic Casket” Indigent Burial Rules for Welfare Kids

Montana Child and Family Services: No “Justification” for Paying for State Foster Kid’s Funerals Since Local Counties Offer Indigent Burial Services

16-yr-old Foster Child Janet Searan, Killed
November 31 in automobile accident.

Janet Searan was a lovely, quiet 16-yr-old girl who made good grades and worked part-time at the local McDonalds in Billings, Montana. She was also a ward of the state, orphaned at age 11 when both her parents died. After her parent’s death, Janet lived with several foster families then moved in with the Ingraham family-two parents and seven children-four of whom are, or were, foster kids-in July.

Last Monday night, Janet died in an auto accident. It was after Janet’s death that the Ingrahams discovered the horrible truth about Montana’s Child and Welfare Services: There is no money set aside in the state foster care program’s budget for burial services for foster kids.

There is no money set aside in the state foster care program’s budget for burial services, partly because it would be needed so rarely, said Kevin Frank, regional administrator for Child and Family Services.

Frank said he could not justify paying for Searan’s funeral and burial because there was another option — county burial.

“If there wasn’t the county option, we would have,” he said. “I would feel obligated to do it. It’s certainly not the foster family’s obligation.”

No “justification” from the state child welfare agency to help pay for Janet’s funeral, who was 16, and who volunteered part-time for Head Start, or for any foster child, of any age. According to the state, foster families who cannot afford to give a proper burial for a foster child must ask the local county for indigent burial services.

Plain Caskets for Welfare Children

Billings is located in Yellowstone County where indigent burial services include an inexpensive “basic” casket, cremation or burial at Riverside Cemetery, the county cemetery in the Heights. The county requires that if the indigent services are used, “obituary and services that take place anywhere other than at the graveside are not allowed”. Janet would be laid to rest among the graves of other “less fortunate” souls who died paupers, or whose families were too poor to afford to “lay” their family member to rest.

The Ingrahims, who loved the girl who’d been with them for a relatively short time, want to give Janet a proper burial. They’re asking for donations while the McDonalds where Janet worked has offered to pay for part of the cost of a headstone, while someone has graciously offered a plot.

For those who wish to donate contact Diane Cochran at dcochran@billingsgazette.com or 657-12387.

By LBG

Source – Family asks for help in burying foster child

Tags: burial, Foster Child