SPOKANE, Wash. — New state data reveals a concerning trend in Washington’s child welfare crisis, a rise of children dying or nearly dying from opioid-related incidents.
A report from the state shows 57 critical incidents within the child welfare system in the past year. Twenty-two children died, while another 35 nearly lost their lives. More than 50% of cases were opioid related.
The crisis has reached even the youngest victims. Maddie’s Place, an organization that treats babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome, meaning they experience withdrawals after being exposed to substances in the womb, has seen a dramatic surge in cases.
“By August of 2025, we had admitted more infants than we had in all of 2024,” said Katie Tolley, director of advancement and marketing at Maddie’s Place.
Tolley, who works as both a service provider and is a foster parent, described the situation as devastating.
“It’s heartbreaking. It’s absolutely heartbreaking.” Tolley said. “I think what we’re seeing are generational cycles of poverty and trauma and substance use.”
The strain on child welfare organizations has become increasingly apparent in recent years. Vanessa Behan, which works to prevent child abuse and neglect, receives approximately 11,000 calls for service annually but can only respond to about 7,000 due to limited resources.
Amy Vega, executive director of Vanessa Behan, emphasized the human cost behind the statistics.
“There’s a story behind every one of those numbers. There’s a family, there’s a child, there’s a situation that’s happened that is devastating,” Vega said.
While legislative efforts to address the crisis exist, Vega argues they tend to be more reactive than proactive.
Both Tolley and Vega point to preventative work as crucial for addressing the root causes of the crisis.
“We’re not going anywhere. But we need the support of our community,” Tolley said.
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