Even after seven years as a foster parent, Darcy Olsen still gets teary eyed talking about the children who have come into her life. Not just for those the system has failed but also for the success stories.

Foster parents worry that new rules drafted by Arizona’s child safety agency could create a harmful environment for foster children and parents alike.

The former head of the state’s child safety agency said Monday it was Attorney General Mark Brnovich and not he who precipitated a February decision to stop allowing married gay couples to jointly adopt or become foster parents.

Gov. Doug Ducey ordered the Department of Child Safety to allow married same-sex couples to jointly house foster children and adopt. Ducey ordered the policy change in response to an Arizona Capitol Times report that DCS had quietly reversed a policy that had allowed married same-sex couples to jointly adopt or provide foster care.

The Department of Child Safety quietly reversed a policy in February that allowed married same-sex couples to jointly serve as foster parents or adopt from the more than 16,000 children under the state’s care, even though federal courts have declared Arizona’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

Speakers at a Dec. 3 CPS Community Forum stepped to the microphone three minutes at a time for two hours to deliver old news: Foster parents get no respect, caseworkers are overworked and underpaid, and the Legislature is tight-fisted.

Ten years ago this week, Arizona lawmakers were on the verge of approving a law to strengthen Child Protective Services and ensure the agency investigates all cases of neglect and abuse.

A bill allowing Arizonans to become foster parents even if their own children haven't been immunized is headed to the governor after passing the House following a lengthy debate.