Public invited to discuss improving foster care system at virtual town hall meetings

Janie Slaven, The Times-Tribune, Corbin, Ky.
·2 min read

Sep. 29—FRANKFORT — The public is invited to virtual town hall meetings this month to discuss improving outcomes for Kentucky children and families involved in the state foster care system. Anyone with concerns about the system and/or ideas on how communities can better support families is encouraged to attend one of the regional meeting that will take place September 30 from noon to 1 p.m. Registration is required.

Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ky-citizen-foster-care-review-board-town-hall-tickets-310659760707.

Registrants will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link before the meeting, which is for citizens in these counties: Adair, Bath, Bell, Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Casey, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Elliott, Floyd, Green, Greenup, Harlan, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Magoffin, Marion, Martin, McCreary, Menifee, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Taylor, Washington, Wayne, Whitley and Wolfe

Due to confidentiality, specific cases will not be discussed.

Citizen Foster Care Review Boards statewide are hosting the regional town halls. The meetings are among the reforms called for in House Bill 1, which was passed in 2018 to address issues with foster care and adoption processes. The legislation requires CFCRBs to offer regional meetings at least twice a year to get public input on the foster care system.

The September town hall meetings will focus on support for relatives and fictive kin caregivers for children who would otherwise be in foster homes unfamiliar to them. Fictive kin is someone who isn't related to the child by birth, adoption or marriage but has strong ties to the child or the child's biological parent(s), siblings or half-siblings. Placements with relatives and fictive kin can reduce the trauma of out-of-home placement for children and reinforce their cultural identities. Previously, fictive kin had to have a direct connection to the child. The Kentucky General Assembly passed legislation this year to include a connection to the child's family.

Findings from the meetings will be reported to the state CFCRB and included in its annual recommendations to the Supreme Court of Kentucky, governor and legislature.

For more information, email cfcrb@kycourts.net.