Citizen Foster Care Review Board

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Thousands of Kentucky children enter foster care each year due to dependency, neglect and abuse. Citizen Foster Care Review Board volunteers play an important role in protecting these children by reviewing the case of each child in the custody of the Department for Community Based Services in the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services.​​​

​These cases include children placed for adoptions that have not been finalized, children who have been returned home but remain committed and young adults whose out-of-home commitments have been extended for educational purposes. CFCRB volunteers provide recommendations to judges who make decisions about placing children in safe, permanent homes. Volunteers help ensure that permanency for at-risk children remains the central objective of the courts and the cabinet.

The Kentucky General Assembly created the CFCRB in 1982 in response to federal legislation requiring regular administrative reviews of children in foster care. The CFCRB utilizes an interactive review known as Interested Party Review (IPR) that focuses on case for the paretns and their children and the progress being made to secure permanence for the child. Those involved in IPRs include CFCRB volunteers, parents, care providers, service providers, Department for Community Based Services personnel, Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers​ and the attorneys for the children and their parents. Once the mandatory IPR has been completed, the local CFCRB submits a comprehensive report with findings and recommendations to the judge. The AOC's Division of Family Services oversees the program by providing support and education to CFCRB volunteers. 

There are review boards in all 120​ counties and more than 700 dedicated volunteers statewide. Volunteers come from a variety of educational and professional backgrounds, but they all share a sincere concern for the welfare of children. The average length of service is six years, which demonstrates a long-term commitment to the children they serve.​​​

As active partners in prevention with Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky and Thriving Families, Safer Children Kentucky, we are committed to rethinking child welfare by creating conditions for strong, healthy communities where families are supported and children are free from harm. ​

​​​Appointing & Training Volunteers

Individuals interested in volunteering must consent to criminal record and Central Registry checks and complete an initial six-hour training session. They are trained on these topics:

  • CHFS and Department for Community Based Services procedures
  • Court processes                                         
  • Dependency, neglect and abuse case forms  
  • Process for conducting a review
  • Motivational inte​rviewing techniques
  • Mental health issues of children in out-of-home care

Once an individual has completed the background checks and training, a recommendation is made to the chief judge of the local Family Court or District Court for the volunteer to be appointed to the local board. Judges appoint volunteers for three-year terms.

After being appointed, volunteers are kept apprised of opportunities to earn the required six hours of annual continuing education.

Review boards typically meet once a month for at least four hours. Some boards meet all day. Each board has at least three members, with some boards having as many as 10 members.​​

​Rosalyn Patton-Pelt
Chair

Mika Tyler 
Vice Chair/ Legislative Committee Chair

Steven Farr
Past State Chair

Marti Dickerson
Secretary/ Treasurer

Asia Barrett
Lived Expert

Dr. Elizabeth Salt
Child Fataluity & Near Fatality, External Review Panel

Peggy Meriedeth
​Training and Development Committee Chair

Brenda Rice
Diversity Committee Chair

Samantha Stubbs
Public Relations Committee Chair​

Region 1​​

​
Michelle Jameson

Serves Counties: Ballard, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Henderson, Hickman, Hopkins, Livingston, Logan, Lyon, Marshall, McCracken, McLean, Mulenberg, Todd, Trigg, Union and Webster.

​Region 2


Kathy Peck

Lacey Prouty

Serves Counties: Allen, Barren, Breckinridge, Butler, Daviess, Edmonson, Grayson, Hancock, Hardin, Hart, Larue, Meade, Metcalfe, Nelson, Ohio, Simpson and Warren.

​Region 3


Dudley Adle 

Serves Counties: Adair, Bell, Casey, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Green, Harlan, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, Leslie, Marion, McCreary, Monroe, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell, Taylor, Washington, Wayne and Whitley.

​Region 4


Issac Horton

Kimberly Kauffman

Serves Counties: Bullitt and Jefferson.

​Region 5


Nina Begley

Serves Counties: Bourbon, Boyle, Clark, Estill, Franklin, Garrard, Jessamine, Lee, Lincoln, Madison, Mercer, Owsley, Scott and Woodford.

​Region 6


Kyle Nicholson

Julie Parker

Serves Counties: Anderson, Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Fleming, Gallatin, Grant, Harrison, Henry, Kenton, Mason, Nicholas, Oldham, Owen, Pendleton, Robertson, Shelby, Spencer and Trimble.

​Region 7


Geraldine Molnar

Serves Counties: Bath,  Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Elliott, Floyd, Greenup, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Letcher, Lewis, Magoffin, Martin, Menifee. Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Pike, Powell, Rowan and Wolfe. 

​Region 8​


Barbara Ellerbrook

Serves Counties: Fayette.​

Logo of the Citizen Foster Care Review Board featuring silhouettes of two children reaching for a star.