Summary

Prevents the Department of Family and Protective Services from passing rules preventing foster parents from keeping a gun in a foster home. The Department may outline minimum standards for firearm storage.

Background

Firearm injuries are a leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injury in the United States and that presence of a household firearm has been found to be associated with an increased risk for homicide, suicide, and unintentional shootings, especially among young people./1/ The Department of Family and Protective Services currently does not have limitations on properly stored firearms in foster homes, but it is possible they might consider it. A foster child in MO was killed by his foster brother with a family firearm in 2005./2/

As of 2005, no state foster program prevented foster parents from owning properly stored guns, although CO and CN "discourage" guns in foster homes.

Additional Links

/1/ The National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency Planning "Firearms in Foster Homes"
/2/ Overstreet, Sarah "Report: Slain foster child in home with eight unsecured guns" Springfield News-Leader July 10, 2005