STEPPED UP TO HELP, CHANGING THE LIVES OF FIVE LITTLE GIRLS AND
MORE THAN A DOZEN CHILDREN IN
NEED.
NEED. THE LEGACY OF WEST VIRGINIA’S
DRUG CRISIS IS IN THE CHILDREN’S
STORIES.
STORIES. DO YOU REMEMBER BEING HUNGRY?
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. YEAH.
YEAH. >> Reporter: WHAT DID YOU DO
WHEN YOU WERE HUNGRY?
HOW DID YOU FIND FOOD?
>> WELL, IT’S KIND OF GROSS.
BUT, LIKE, WE HAD TO USUALLY DIG
OUT OF THE TRASH CAN.
>> Reporter: 14-YEAR-OLD
SERENITY AND 12-YEAR-OLD KALEY,
HAVE TWO YOUNGER SISTERS, ALL
FOUR REMOVED FROM THEIR
BIOLOGICAL MOTHER.
BIOLOGICAL MOTHER. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT DRUGS DID
TO YOUR FAMILY?
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> THEY MADE THEM, LIKE, CRAZY
AND MAD AND DEPRESSED ALL THE
TIME.
TIME. >> ONCE SHE STARTED THEM, SHE
WAS ON THEM AND NOTHING ELSE.
>> Reporter: BUT ON A TYPICAL
DAY, IT WOULD BE TOUGH TO TELL
THEY HAVE THIS PAINFUL HISTORY.
>> AP-A-R-T-Y, PARTY IS ON OUR
SIDE.
SIDE. >> Reporter: THEY ADOPTED THE
SISTERS AND THEN ANOTHER
DAUGHTER.
DAUGHTER. TODAY, THEY ARE RAISING SEVEN
CHILDREN, INCLUDING TWO FOSTER
BABIES.
BABIES. THE FAMILY WAS PROFILED IN A
"WASHINGTON POST" STORY,
REVEALING HOW THE OPIOID
EPIDEMIC HAS CONTRIBUTED TO A
CRISIS IN FOSTER CARE.
THE SYSTEM IS OVERWHELMED.
THEY ARE DESPERATELY NEEDED.
THEY HAVE FOSTERED OVER 20
CHILDREN IN THE PAST 6 YEARS.
THIS IS A TOUGH JOB YOU’VE TAKEN
ON.
ON. NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO DO IT.
>> NO.
>> NO. THEY DON’T.
THEY DON’T. IF I COULD TAKE MORE KIDS, I
WOULD.
WOULD. BUT I CAN’T SAVE THEM ALL.
>> Reporter: TINA WILLIAMS CAN
RELATE.
RELATE. >> WE ARE FULL CONSTANTLY.
>> Reporter: SHE IS A SOCIAL
WORKER FOR THE CHILDREN’S HOME
SOCIETY, WHICH PROVIDES
EMERGENCY BEDS FOR CHILDREN WHO
ARE REPROVED BY PROTECTIVE
SERVICES.
SERVICES. >> IT SEEMS LIKE, AS SOON AS YOU
DISCHARGE ONE, THE COMPUTER WILL
FLASH UP, NOTIFICATION, YOU NEED
A BED FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.
>> Reporter: THE ORGANIZATION
OPERATES SHELTERS LIKE THIS ONE
ACROSS THE STATE.
>> WE TRY TO MAKE IT AS HOMEY AS
POSSIBLE.
POSSIBLE. >> Reporter: A CENTRAL OFFICE
KEEPS TRACK OF OPEN BEDS.
IT’S OFTEN A DAILY STRUGGLE.
IT’S NOW 10:15.
AND YOU JUST FOUND OUT WHAT?
>> WE ARE AT CAPACITY.
ALL 106 BEDS ARE FULL.
>> Reporter: WILLIAMS, WHO USED
TO WORK FOR THE STATE, WAS
SOMETIMES CALLED IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE NIGHT, TO REMOVE CHILDREN
IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.
>> YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT THEIR
EYES.
EYES. THEY ARE LOOKING AT YOU FOR
HOPE.
HOPE. >> Reporter: WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU
CAN’T FIND A BED?
>> WELL -- I’VE BEEN IN THAT
SITUATION.
SITUATION. AND I’VE HAD TO STAY WITH MY
CHILD AT THE DEPARTMENT.
>> Reporter: RECENTLY, SHE TOLD
US, A CHILD CAME TO HER SHELTER
AFTER SPENDING FIVE NIGHTS IN A
GOVERNMENT OFFICE.
GOVERNMENT OFFICE. >> THE REALITY, WHEN WE NEED
FACILITIES, WE NEED FOSTER
HOMES.
HOMES. >> Reporter: BILLBOARDS CALL ON
FAMILIES TO BECOME FOSTER
PARENTS.
PARENTS. AND MANY HAVE.
BUT IT’S DIFFICULT.
THERE’S SCHOOL, DOCTORS
APPOINTMENTS AND JUST KEEPING
EVERYONE FED.
EVERYONE FED. THIS IS A FIVE-POUND BAG OF
SHREDDED CHEESE, MONICA.
HOW MANY EGGS?
>> TWO CARTONS OF THOSE, PLEASE.
>> Reporter: YOU NEED 72 EGGS?
>> YES.
>> YES. >>
>> >> Reporter: THAT’S A LOT OF
EGGS.
EGGS. IS THERE SOMETHING RIGHT NOW
THAT YOU NEED THAT YOU JUST
CAN’T GET?
CAN’T GET? >> A ROOF.
>> Reporter: IS IT LEAKING?
>> YES.
>> YES. AND MY HUSBAND HAS PATCHED IT
SEVERAL TIMES.
SEVERAL TIMES. BUT IT’S NOT GOING TO LAST
FOREVER.
FOREVER. >> Reporter: HER HUSBAND WORKS
THE NIGHT SHIFT AS A BULLDOZER
OPERATOR IN A COAL MINE.
HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE BUDGET?
>> YOU GET WHAT YOU NEED, DO
WITHOUT.
WITHOUT. I MEAN, I’VE GOT AN OLD TRUCK,
220,000 MILES THAT I CONTINUE TO
DRIVE.
DRIVE. >> Reporter: WHAT ABOUT YOUR
ROOF?
ROOF? DO YOU HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT
RIGHT NOW?
RIGHT NOW? >> NOT IN MY POCKET, NO.
I’M SAVING EVERY DIME TO DO IT.
>> Reporter: THE GIRLS SHARE
ROOMS.
ROOMS. ABOVE THEIR BED, THEIR STORIES.
I WAS ADOPTED IN JANUARY 9th,
2018.
2018. >> I’M NOT BOSSY.
I’M GOING FOR LADYSHIP SKILLS.
>> Reporter: WHAT’S THE BEST
PART OF THIS FOR YOU, KALEY?
>> WELL, THAT I ACTUALLY HAVE A
MOM THAT STAYS KEPT UP WITH MY
APPOINTMENTS AND MY CLOTHING AND
FOOD.
FOOD. AND ONE THAT ACTUALLY, LIKE,
LIKES ME.
LIKES ME. >> Reporter: EACH GIRL CHOSE A
NEW GAME, SYMBOLIC OF A NEW
BEGINNING.
BEGINNING. >> I PICKED HAVEN BECAUSE I KNEW
IT WAS A SAFE PLACE.
AND I KNEW THIS WAS A SAFE
PLACE.
PLACE. >> Reporter: HOW WOULD YOU
DESCRIBE A FAMILY?
>> WHERE THE PARENTS GIVE YOU
LOVE AND CARE.
>> A HOME.
>> Reporter: A HOME.
>> I THINK IT’S THE PLACE THAT
YOU ACTUALLY WILL FIND PEOPLE
WHO LOVE YOU.
>> THE HEARTS WANT TO EXPLODE
RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I’M SO PROUD
OF THEM.
OF THEM. I’M SO THANKFUL WE WERE GIVEN A
CHANCE TO GIVE THEM A SECOND
CHANCE.
CHANCE. >> WOW.
>> WOW. >> THAT SOUND BYTE RIGHT THERE,
GIVEN A CHANCE TO GIVE THEM A
SECOND CHANCE.
SECOND CHANCE. >> I HAVE TO TELL YOU, GUYS.
I DO A LOT OF STORIES.
I TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
THIS ONE SAT WITH ME AND OUR
CREW AND OUR PRODUCERS FOR DAYS.
THESE CHILDREN’S STORIES AND THE
WAY THEY TELL THEM, NO CHILD
SHOULD HAVE TO TELL THIS.
>> THEY SHOULD HAVE A BED AND A
ROOF THAT DOESN’T LEAK ON THEM.
IF THERE’S SO MUCH ABOUT FOSTER
CARE THERE, WHAT ARE THEY DOING
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE OPIOID
CRISIS?
CRISIS? >> WE HAVE ANOTHER STORY THAT
AIRS ON "NIGHTLY NEWS" THAT WILL
LOOK AT WHAT THEY DO TO COMBAT
IT.
IT. AND NO ONE WANTS TO SPLIT UP A
FAMILY.
FAMILY. FIND A FAMILY BEFORE IT GETS TO
THIS POINT, SO CHILDREN DON’T
HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS.
THAT’S A BIG PART OF THIS.
AND YOU ALSO HAVE THE REALITY
THEY NEED FOSTER PARENTS.
>> NOW.
>> NOW. >> AND IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED
IN HELPING IN WEST VIRGINIA OR
THEIR OWN STATE, GO TO
TODAY.COM.
TODAY.COM. WE HAVE INFORMATION ON HOW TO DO
THAT.
THAT. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS TO
STEP UP AND DO SOMETHING.
THIS GRIDLOCK HAS TO END BECAUSE
WE HAVE REAL PROBLEMS IN THIS
COUNTRY THAT ARE NOT BEING
ADDRESSED.
ADDRESSED. THIS IS ONE OF THEM.
>> WE HAD A FOSTER CARE CRISIS
IN THIS COUNTRY BEFORE THE
OPIOID EPIDEMIC, WHICH HAS EXS
AER BAITED IT.
>> WHAT AN EXTRAORDINARY FAMILY
YOU MET.
YOU MET. THERE ARE ANGELS AMONG US.
WHAT THEY’RE DOING AND DAD
WORKING THE NIGHT SHIFT.
>> YEP.
>> YEP. THEY’RE REALLY STEPPING UP.