How can i contact a returned runaway in state custody?

[Unregistered]

First off if it helps I am in Florida.
My friend is 15yrs old and in state custody (foster care) She ran away from a group home 4months ago across state lines and just last week i convinced her to come back and turn herself in. Since then i have not heard from her but found out she was located safe from a missing child's website on the 21st. My question is what, if anything, can i do to find out what happened to her in the case of where she has been placed now and what can i do to get in contact with her? I am only 17 but my parents are also willing to do anything they can to hear from her, we wanted to take her in but we don't have the finances to do so legally. I don't see the state allowing her to just have visits with a friend but once when she was in the hospital an on call case manager called me to let me know and to talk to her and calm her down. She said she called me because I was the closest thing to a parent or family she had so maybe if there is a record of me being a positive influence? Me and my family love her more than anything and I haven't been able to sleep since I lost contact with her so if there is anything we can do we will. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.

[ccsmod11]

RE: How can i contact a returned runaway in state custody?

Hello,

Thank you for contacting the National Runaway Switchboard (NRS). It is apparent you really care about your friend and want to do whatever you can to help her. She is lucky to have a friend like you. It sounds like you have been a great support to her in the past.

Your situation sounds very frustrating and doesn’t seem to have an easy answer. Since you say your friend is in state custody, there are laws protecting her confidentiality, but you also say in the past a case worker called you to talk to her. Ideally, if you can find a way to contact her via another person, phone, email, facebook, twitter, etc, that would probably be your best way of getting in touch to find out her situation and location.

We here at 1800-RUNAWAY are not able to locate wards of the state, runaways or homeless youth, but we are here to support them along with their friends and family and offer resources. If you are able to reach out to her feel free to give her our contact information. She can call us (as can you) 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929).

As for finding out where she has been placed within the foster care system it may be helpful to reach out to the Florida Department of Children and Families. Their website is http://www.myflfamilies.com/.

Best of luck to you in finding your friend.

~ NRS