Who Buries Our Former Foster Children?

About two weeks ago a regular at Bill Wilson Center’s Drop-In Center, Carl Weisman, 24 years old, died from complications from Swine Flu. Carl had a rough life.  After suffering abuse, he was placed with Future Families at age 9 and then went to a Unity Care Group home at age 13 where he lived for 5 years.  After turning age 18, Carl left foster care and never quite made it to successful independent living.   Abusing drugs and alcohol, Carl was always at our Drop-In Center where counselors and case managers helped him with basic needs and worked tirelessly to get him off the streets.   Carl was successful for short times, but the lure of drugs and the street always short circuited his plans.

Several weeks ago, Carl was hospitalized for pneumonia and heart problems; complications from years of street life and abusing drugs.   He apparently was released but then contracted the H1N1 virus and ended up back in the hospital and soon after on life support.  Carl’s sister, who also spent her life in foster care, was the only relative willing to see him and make decisions about the end of his life.  Unity Care and Bill Wilson Center staff were there to support her.  A few days later, Carl passed away.

Carl’s sister wanted a church funeral for her brother, but she had no money.  I assumed that because Carl had been in foster care and was in Santa Clara County’s Connected by 25 program that there would be some funds available to help pay for his funeral costs.  I called and staff from Unity Care called social services to check.  Carl was not eligible for funds because he was over 21.  Also, he was originally from Alameda County so not really from here.  I was told to try the Children’s Shelter Foundation.  The Foundation told me to check with the county and then get back to them.  To the Social Services Agency credit, social workers organized a bake sale and collected donations for Carl’s funeral.

The clock was ticking, the hospital was putting pressure on Carl’s sister to take her brothers’ body somewhere.  The Neptune Society would not take the body until they had a guarantee of funds.  Unity Care raised funds from their staff, Bill Wilson Center passed the hat around at an event, and finally the county Mental Health Contractors Association wrote a check for the final amount.  Carl could now have the funeral his sister wanted.

Trying to arrange for Carl’s funeral was a stressful time for me, Andre Chapman from Unity Care, and his sister.  There must be an easier way to take care of our former foster youth who die homeless and penniless.  I tried calling the county public guardian and coroner for help.  Homeless agencies had suggestions of funeral homes who had helped in the past, but maybe due to the economy, they weren’t a help this time.

I believe there is a better way.  I plan on asking our state representatives to sponsor a bill in the state legislature to pay for burying our former foster children if they die without family and without money.  At the very least, we should help with costs if they die before age 30.  After all, when children are placed with the state they are now the children of the state.  Let’s at least remember them with a funeral we would want for our own children.