Georgia joins national foster care campaign ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - While certain foster care homes in Georgia face sanctions, the state hopes a new effort will reduce the number of kids forced to grow up under state custody.

WABE's Charles Edwards reports

The Georgia Department of Human Services is working with the Casey Family Foundation. The Foundation's Raise Me Up campaign highlights problems foster children face.

DHS Assistant Commissioner Mark Washington says a major problem is not finding permanent homes for children before they turn 18 and leave state custody.

WASHINGTON: "And we know that population is a risk of homelessness, high risk of living in poverty, high risk of incarceration. And we just kind of stepped back and said (what we're doing) is not good enough. What can we do differently?"

Washington says the campaign urges adults to be mentors or tutors if being a foster parent is too much responsibility.

Although the number fluctuates daily, Washington estimates Georgia has more than 9 thousand children in its foster care system.

Charles Edwards, WABE News. © Copyright 2012, WABE