The Indicators
The annual number of children under age 18 placed in the care of the local Department of Social Services, expressed as a rate per 1,000 children under 18. Children admitted to foster care may be cared for in congregate care facilities, foster boarding homes, approved relative homes or a supervised independent living program.
This is an indicator of families' inability to care for their children in a healthy and/or safe environment.
In 2024, 1.4 children per 1,000 in the Mid-Hudson Valley region were admitted to foster care, down from 2.6 in 2010. This 47% decline in the regional rate compares to a 25% decline at the state level (excluding New York City). The region's rate had been consistently higher than the state rate until 2020. Among the counties, Putnam had the lowest rate of children admitted to foster care, at 0.2, while rates were significantly higher for Sullivan at 3.8.
Foster care placement rates may be affected by county efforts to develop and implement alternative options to helping troubled families, such as foster care prevention programs.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| Columbia | 9.6 | 5.4 | 3.4 | 5.8 | 5.6 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 4.2 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 2.0 |
| Dutchess | 2.4 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.6 |
| Greene | 5.8 | 6.6 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 3.6 | 6.1 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 3.3 | 5.6 | 3.8 | 2.9 | 5.5 | 2.4 | 2.6 |
| Orange | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Putnam | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.2 |
| Sullivan | 2.0 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 3.8 | 3.8 |
| Ulster | 2.6 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| NYS (excluding NYC) | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| U.S. | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region | 695 | 637 | 604 | 608 | 612 | 563 | 573 | 577 | 510 | 506 | 322 | 271 | 352 | 362 | 336 |
| Columbia | 122 | 67 | 41 | 69 | 65 | 35 | 24 | 22 | 33 | 26 | 41 | 25 | 19 | 25 | 18 |
| Dutchess | 159 | 111 | 128 | 143 | 161 | 176 | 165 | 161 | 106 | 109 | 59 | 42 | 99 | 93 | 84 |
| Greene | 55 | 61 | 69 | 65 | 30 | 50 | 40 | 36 | 26 | 43 | 29 | 23 | 42 | 18 | 19 |
| Orange | 221 | 229 | 210 | 213 | 199 | 167 | 187 | 191 | 146 | 163 | 78 | 100 | 101 | 91 | 91 |
| Putnam | 7 | 8 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 17 | 12 | 26 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 4 |
| Sullivan | 35 | 50 | 54 | 42 | 47 | 43 | 44 | 49 | 72 | 59 | 49 | 24 | 35 | 65 | 65 |
| Ulster | 96 | 111 | 88 | 61 | 95 | 72 | 96 | 106 | 101 | 100 | 64 | 53 | 46 | 56 | 55 |
| NYS (excluding NYC) | 5,234 | 4,958 | 4,988 | 5,027 | 5,231 | 4,916 | 4,622 | 4,633 | 4,589 | 4,588 | 3,549 | 3,478 | 3,494 | 3,512 | 3,580 |
| U.S. | 252,775 | 251,450 | 251,352 | 254,622 | 264,531 | 268,860 | 273,174 | 270,197 | 263,579 | 252,198 | 216,450 | 206,867 | 186,602 | 174,121 | 170,955 |
| INDICATORS | TREND | STATE |
|---|
Children & Youth
Community
Demographics
Economy
Education
Financial Stability
Health
Housing
Racial Equity
