Topeka ? Child advocates Tuesday criticized a proposal to remove more than 750 youngsters from foster care.

Under Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ proposed budget, foster care services to 634 youths who are 16 and 17 years old and were not abused or neglected would be eliminated.

Services also would be terminated to 125 young people over the age of 18 who were in foster care before age 18.

The measures are part of Sebelius’ proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

Currently, the state spends about $80 million per year to serve an average of 3,489 children each month, according to budget documents.

The proposed move is expected to save $3.8 million, and officials at the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services said the agency would do everything it could to make sure the youngsters received necessary services in the community.

But advocates questioned the proposal.

“Why should we be any more confident that services would be there coming out of the system, when they weren’t there going in?” asked Jane Adams, executive director at Keys for Networking, a Topeka-based advocacy group that works with parents of mentally ill children, many of whom are the non-neglect kids in foster care.

Even SRS officials seemed cool to the proposal from Sebelius.

Acting SRS Secretary Gary Daniels noted the moves would require legislative action.

“We have not held that debate yet,” Daniels said.

He said any plan to remove foster care services must ensure that there is some kind of transitional care.

“We are not going to displace those kids,” he said.

Sister Therese Bangert, with the Kansas Catholic Conference, said if the changes proceed, steps must be taken to make sure that the children receive whatever care they need.

“The majority of those children don’t belong to anyone. We have to keep our ear and our heart on what those proposals will do,” she said.