FRANKFORT, Ky., – The public is invited to a regional community forum Tuesday, Sept. 25, in Lexington 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 1:30-3 p.m. ET in the community room of the Robert F. Stephens Circuit Courthouse at 120 N. Limestone St.
CFCRBs will host seven regional community forums across the state between August and October. The forums are among the reforms called for in House Bill 1, legislation passed in 2018 to address issues with foster care and adoption.
“These forums are an important opportunity for people to share their concerns about how children and families experience the foster care system in Kentucky and talk about what can be done to improve it,” said Ed Staats, chairman of the state CFCRB, which guides the work of local CFCRBs statewide. “Some of the topics we anticipate discussing are getting children into permanent homes as soon as possible and ensuring their safety and well-being while they’re in care. This will be the first time that CFCRBs will hear directly from our communities about these issues. I’m hopeful that, through the forums, citizens will also learn more about the work of their local CFCRBs and consider getting involved.”
Findings from the forums will be reported to the Kentucky Citizen Foster Care Review Board and will be included in the board’s annual recommendations to the Supreme Court, governor and legislature.
Due to confidentiality, specific case information will not be discussed at the forums.
For more information about CFCRBs and to see a list of all the forums, visit http://courts.ky.gov/courtprograms/cfcrb/Pages/default.aspx.
Citizen Foster Care Review Board
CFCRBs are teams of court-appointed volunteers who review cases of children who are in foster care or other out-of-home care in Kentucky due to dependency, neglect or abuse. The 700-plus volunteers make recommendations to state courts and the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services on behalf of the children. The volunteers’ goal is to ensure that children’s needs are met while in care and that they are placed in safe, permanent homes as quickly as possible. CHFS administers the state foster care program.
In Fiscal Year 2017, volunteers conducted more than 20,000 reviews of more than 11,400 cases of children in foster and other out-of-home care.
The Kentucky General Assembly created the Kentucky CFCRB in 1982 to decrease the time children spend in out-of-home care. All volunteers must complete a six-hour initial training session. All 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.
AOC
The Administrative Office of the Courts administers the CFCRB program. The AOC is the operations arm for the state court system and supports the activities of nearly 3,300 employees and 404 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. The AOC also executes the Judicial Branch budget.
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