U.S. Representative Gus Bilirakis Co-Sponsors Federal Legislation to Address 'Hidden Foster Care' in Florida
U.S. Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) has announced his co-sponsorship of the federal Hidden Foster Care Transparency Act. This legislation aims to bring greater transparency and accountability to situations where children are separated from their parents outside of the formal foster care system. The move comes in response to a Tampa Bay Times investigation that revealed over 300 instances in the last four years where the Children's Network of Hillsborough, the county's lead child welfare agency, used "temporary custody transfers" to place children with relatives. This process, unlike traditional foster care, lacks the same oversight, services, and safeguards. Bilirakis emphasized that the allegations are deeply concerning and warrant a thorough review by Florida's child welfare officials, stressing that parents should fully understand their rights and the consequences of custody decisions. The federal bill, introduced last September, would mandate states to track and report whether parents had legal ... 
