By Ray Stern | Phoenix New Times
Arizona Department of Child Safety officials will revise a newly updated policy banning foster-care licenses for people who possess hemp oil following a parent’s plea for change.
The change won’t affect the DCS’ ongoing discrimination of state-authorized medical-cannabis consumers in the foster-care program.
But it will likely make a difference for Phoenix lawyer Rebecca Masterson and, potentially, other prospective foster-care parents.
“I appreciate your patience as the team worked to reach this conclusion and truly appreciate your decision to foster the child in your care.” — Michael Faust, licensing supervisor at the Arizona Department of Child Safety
“I am moving forward with licensing, and am thrilled to be able to offer more support to my teen foster son,” Masterson told the Phoenix New Times on Friday. “DCS, my foster son, and I all win here.”
As a New Times article detailed on Wednesday, Masterson applied for a foster-care license after she took in a 16-year-old boy who has “anger issues” and no parents. She wrote about her experience earlier this month on her personal blog, Sincerely Becca.
“The persistent reluctance of the federal government to amend drug laws to more accurately reflect the sentiment of the states and its citizens regarding medical marijuana continues to wreak havoc on state agencies. This is just the latest example. DCS and other agencies are being paralyzed by the discrepancy. The mass confusion caused by the discrepancy is impeding progress. Although many people will undoubtedly be frustrated by DCS’ refusal to revise its policy to permit card-holding parents to adopt children, it is important to understand that such a change will not likely happen unless and until the legislature changes its classification of marijuana for medical purposes.”
