1. The Current State of Foster Care in Virginia
Sandra Karison, Director
Court Improvement Program

2. Number of children in foster care in Virginia has increased since 2014.
( 4.27%)

3. Top 5 conditions of removal have remained consistent over past 5 years; order has shifted.
2014
Neglect (2614*)
Child’s Behavior Problem (1062)
Parent’s Drug Abuse (975)
Physical Abuse (810)
Inadequate Housing (757)
2018
Neglect (2625; )
Parent’s Drug Abuse (1448;  49%)
Child’s Behavior Problem (1091;  3 %)
Inadequate Housing (798;  5%)
Physical Abuse (752;  7 %) 1 2 3 4 5
* Number of children for which condition was identified at last removal.

4. Top 5 conditions of removal have remained consistent over past 5 years; order has shifted.
* Number of children for which condition was identified at last removal.

5. Joint Project between CIP and VDSS
Operation Permanency
Focuses on Children in foster care
24 months or longer
Whose parents’ rights have been terminated
Who have no permanent placement identified

6. Re-envisioning Child Welfare
Families First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA)
Included in the federal Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 signed into law on February 9, 2018
Biggest change to Title IV-E since established in 1980

7. Re-envisioning Child Welfare
Expands IV-E funding for time-limited services to prevent placements in foster care
Services - specified categories, evidence-based
For parents or relatives caring for children who are “candidates for foster care” and youth in foster care who are pregnant or parenting

8. Re-envisioning Child Welfare
Restricts IV-E funding for children in foster care placed in congregate/group settings to those in a “Qualified Residential Treatment Program”
Reauthorizes Court Improvement Program; CIP role is training legal community on QRTP

9. Federal Title IV-E Review
Purpose is to monitor compliance with certain eligibility requirements, including judicial determinations on “contrary to the welfare” and reasonable efforts”
Scheduled for week of September 29, 2019
80 cases will be examined; selected from among those involving children for whom a title IV-E foster care maintenance payment was made between 10/1/18 through 3/31/19

10. 2018 Virginia Legislative Update
HB venue for abuse or neglect proceedings
HB adjustment of GAL bills
HB child’s preference for restoration of parental rights
SB 636, HB Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program (KinGAP)

11. KinGAP facilitates placements with relatives
Return home and adoption are not appropriate permanency options
Child in foster care in relative’s home for 6 months
Child is attached to prospective kin guardian
Kin guardian is committed to permanently care for child

12. KinGAP facilitates placements with relatives
Child age 14 has been consulted
Child’s siblings are also eligible for placement
Kinship guardianship agreement required
Specified payments allowed

13. Guardians Ad Litem: Living with conflicting Expectations