Over nearly a decade, Thergood had repeated interactions with Connecticut’s foster care system. Since 2011, Connecticut has also reduced the number of foster care youth in congregate care settings from 30% to just 6% today. Of the 3,000 or so kids currently in foster care, nearly 43% are living with kin or extended family. The total population of kids in state foster care fell 9.5 percent from 2011 to 2019 under Dorantes’ predecessor, from 4,770 to 4,311. The children were removed from his care in 2017 and spent time in foster care.

---