7 forums being held statewide under House Bill 1 reforms
FRANKFORT, Ky., Sept. 23, 2019 – The public is invited to a regional community forum Thursday in Pikeville to discuss improving outcomes for Kentucky children and families involved in the state foster care system. Citizen Foster Care Review Boards in the region are hosting the forum. The forum will take place from 5:30-7 p.m. ET at the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center at 126 Main St.
CFCRBs are hosting seven regional community forums across the state Aug. 22-Sept. 26. The forums are among the reforms called for in House Bill 1, which was passed in 2018 to address issues with foster care and adoption. The legislation calls for CFCRBs to offer regional forums at least twice a year to get public input on the foster care system.
“We encourage people to come to the forums and share their concerns about foster care,” said Tom Stevenson, chairman of the Kentucky CFCRB, which guides the work of local CFCRBs statewide. “It’s an opportunity to talk about what can be done to make the system better for thousands of Kentucky children and families. These forums are a pipeline from the public to the governor, legislature and Supreme Court. Let’s talk about getting children into permanent homes quickly, ensuring the safety and well-being of children while they’re in care and other issues. I’m hopeful that some forum attendees may also decide to get involved by volunteering with their local foster care review board.”
Findings from the forums will be reported to the Kentucky CFCRB and will be included in the board’s annual recommendations to the governor, legislature and Supreme Court of Kentucky.
Due to confidentiality, specific case information will not be discussed at the forums.
For information on all the forums, visit https://kycourts.gov/courtprograms/cfcrb/Pages/default.aspx and click on forum schedule.
Citizen Foster Care Review Boards
CFCRBs are teams of court-appointed volunteers who make a difference in the lives of local children who are in foster care in Kentucky due to dependency, neglect or abuse. The 700-plus volunteers review cases and make recommendations to state courts and the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services on behalf of the children. The volunteers work to ensure that children’s needs are met while in care and that they are placed in safe, permanent homes as quickly as possible. The CHFS administers the state foster care program.
The Kentucky General Assembly created the Kentucky CFCRB in 1982 to decrease the time children spend in out-of-home care. In Fiscal Year 2018, volunteers conducted more than 21,500 reviews of the cases of more than 12,400 children in out-of-home care.
The Administrative Office of the Courts provides support services to the CFCRB program. The AOC is the operations arm for the state court system and supports the activities of more than 3,400 employees and 406 electedjustices, judges and circuit court clerks. The AOC also executes the Judicial Branch budget.
Volunteer with a CFCRB
CFCRBs statewide need volunteers. Potential volunteers must consent to a criminal record and Central Registry check. A recommendation is then made to the chief judge of the District Court or Family Court for appointment. Volunteers must complete a six-hour initial training session. To get more information and apply, visit https://kycourts.gov/courtprograms/cfcrb/Pages/default.aspx. To view the 2018 CFCRB Annual Report, visithttps://kycourts.gov/resources/publicationsresources/Publications/2018CFCRBAnnualReport.pdf.
