April 20, 2000

The Utah Legislature made serious cuts this year in the money the state pays to help take care of foster kids and money for children who are adopted.

Those cuts have suddenly struck a Utah County family very hard. And, even though the state would like to help, it's too late, and the future is bleak.

News Specialist Stacey Butler has this exclusive story.

Eight kids, one mom, two cats and a dog. It's a family like thousands of others. They laugh.

"I ALWAYS SAY ABOUT MY TEENAGERS, THEY'RE EITHER LOOKING FOR FOOD OR A WOMAN."

They talk about school.

"I DON'T HAVE TO GO 'TIL NEXT WEEK."

"I BROUGHT A BOOK HOME."

And they love snacktime.

"SAYING DON'T DRINK WITH YOUR MOUTH FULL."

But this family is anything but typical. All the children were severly abused and on their way to institutions when Mary took them in.

Chris Workman/Adopted: "MY HERO WASN'T ALWAYS MY HERO. IN FACT I USED TO HATE MY HERO, BUT NOW I LOVE MY HERO."

Chris is the second child Mary took in.

"MY HERO IS MY MOM, MARY WORKMAN. MY HERO IS MY HERO BECAUSE SHE ADOPTED ME AND ADOPTED ME WHEN NO ONE ELSE WOULD."

Chris is taking medication for bipolar schizophrenia. Before he was adopted, he was hospitalized ten times and tried to kill himself.

Chris: "I WAS AT PRIMARY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL WHEN I MET HER. I WAS GOING TO GO TO A MENTAL INSTITUTION WHEN SHE SAVED ME FROM GOING THERE."

Michael, the oldest, was sold for sex by his parents.

Michael Workman/Adopted: "I COULDN'T TALK VERY WELL."

Before Mary took him in he killed animals with his bare hands. Born with fetal alcohol syndrome, he's severely mentally retarded. Looking at him today, you'd never know. He speaks articulately, gets good grades and hasn't acted violently since he was a child.

"I AM THANKFUL THAT SHE CAME INTO MY LIFE. FIXED MY LIFE UP."

Biological twins, Tony and Andrea were sexually abused by their uncle and adoptive parents. At just ten years old they've lived with five foster families. They have learning disabilities and need constant tutoring.

Andrea Workman/Adopted: "WHEN I WAS TWO, MY MOM DIED AND MY DAD DIDN'T WANT ME."

Andrew is bipolar and is behind in school. He was strangled so hard by his biological brother, he lost consciousness.

Eric Bjorkland/Utah Youth Village: "SHE HAS TAKEN KIDS THAT ABSOLUTLEY NO ONE ELSE WOULD TAKE. AND I MEAN NO ONE ELSE."

All of Mary's kids are in special ed. All require intensive tutoring. But that's a program the state just cut. To Mary that's a loss of $1,000 a month. She sold her van, her camper trailer and now her home's on the market.

Mary Workman/Adopted 8 children: "THEY STILL HAVE TO HAVE THEIR TUTORING. THEY'RE STILL HUMANS. THEY'RE STILL SCHITZOPHRENIC, THEY'RE STILL HANDICAP. THEY STILL NEED THE HELP. WELL, I'M STILL GOING TO HELP THEM."

These kids can't help but feel afraid about the future--but being forced out of their home, isn't their biggest fear.

Tony: "THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I LIKE THIS HOUSE IS BECAUSE I LOVE EVERYBODY THAT'S IN IT."

But for Mary, the future has suddenly become scary.

Mary: "I WAS ASKED TO ADOPT, AND I WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO IT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WOULD BE NOTHING EVER REMOVED FROM THEIR SUBSIDIES."

Mary: "I WAS A GREAT ADVOCATE FOR THE STATE AND FOR THE FOSTER CARE FOUNDATION. BUT I NO LONGER CAN DO THAT WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE."

The budget cutbacks received little public debate. They could affect as many as 1,700 adoptive families in Utah.