Urgent call for volunteers in twenty-six Kentucky counties to assess foster care cases

In a recent press release from the Administrative Office of the Courts, it has been announced that the Kentucky Citizen Foster Care Review Boards are in urgent need of volunteers. The volunteer drive aims to ensure the well-being and best interests of thousands of children in foster care are being met.

The counties in need of volunteers are Boone, Boyd, Bracken, Campbell, Carter, Clay, Elliott, Fleming, Greenup, Hardin, Johnson, Kenton, Laurel, Lawrence, Lewis, Magoffin, Martin, Mason, McCreary, Montgomery, Morgan, Powell, Robertson, Rowan, Whitley, and Wolfe. Volunteers are needed statewide to serve on these boards.

Each year, thousands of Kentucky children are placed in foster and other out-of-home care. The cases being reviewed by the Citizen Foster Care Review Boards are not final and may include children whose adoptions have not been finalized, those who have returned home, and young adults with extended out-of-home commitments for educational purposes.

The boards conduct interactive reviews on the children's cases and make recommendations to the cabinet. Before volunteering, individuals must apply for consideration, consent to a criminal record and central registry check, and complete six hours of initial training.

The children in question are in the custody of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services due to dependency, neglect, and abuse. They are under the Department for Community Based Services. The program's website provides information about the Citizen Foster Care Review Boards, and detailed information for submitting an online volunteer application can be found on the Kentucky Courts of Justice website.

Rosalyn Patton-Pelt, state chair of the foster care review board, stated the need for more volunteers. She emphasized the importance of the boards' role in evaluating cases of children in foster care and making recommendations to improve their well-being.

The volunteer drive comes from the Administrative Office of the Courts, and a family court or district court judge recommends volunteers to the local review board. Kentucky Lantern, part of States Newsroom, maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions.

Volunteers typically review cases once a month, and the program offers a unique opportunity for individuals to make a significant difference in the lives of Kentucky's most vulnerable children. If you are interested in volunteering, please visit the Kentucky Courts of Justice website for more information.