Jessamine County currently has over 40 children in foster care. The Jessamine County Citizen Foster Care Review Board (CFCRB) is seeking volunteers to review their cases and make a difference in the lives of these children who have been placed in foster care because of dependency, abuse and neglect.

"Serving on a review board helps ensure every effort is being made to locate permanent homes for these children and that they receive adequate and appropriate services while in the state foster care system," said Melissa Goins, CFCRB field coordinator.

The Kentucky General Assembly created the Citizen Foster Care Review Boards in 1982 as a way to decrease the time children spend in foster care. CFCRB volunteers review Cabinet for Health and Family Services files to help ensure that foster children receive the necessary services while in out-of-home care and are placed in permanent homes as quickly as possible.

Nearly 750 volunteers serve as members of the 141 local review boards across the state. In the last year alone, the boards reviewed the case files of 8,333 children who were removed from their homes and placed into foster care.

All volunteers must complete a six-hour initial training session, and consent to a criminal record and central registry check. A recommendation is then made to the chief judge of District Court or Family Court for appointment.

The Jessamine County CFCRB meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 4:30 p.m. in the Department for Community Based Services office located at 109 S. Second St. in Nicholasville. For more information, contact:

Melissa Goins, Field Coordinator
Jessamine County Foster Care Review Board
502-573-2350 or 800-928-2350

The Dependent Children’s Services Division of the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) in Frankfort oversees the CFCRB program. The AOC is the administrative arm of the Kentucky Court of Justice and supports the activities of more than 3,500 court system employees, including elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. The AOC also executes the Judicial Branch budget.