Citizen Foster Care Review Board Seeks Volunteers

by Stephanie CrosbyThere are about 100 people who volunteer for the Jefferson County Citizen Foster Care Review Board, but organizers say more are needed. The board is a state-mandated group of citizen-volunteers who review case files of children in foster care.Jefferson County Family Services Coordinator Tara Metts says it’s another way judges can keep an eye on the system.“It’s a fresh set of eyes looking at some facts," says Metts, "not necessarily someone from a legal or child welfare background, who might pick up on some everyday concerns to make sure the best interests of the child are being met.”Metts says citizens can become volunteers for the board by completing a six-hour training course and then being recommended to and confirmed by the chief judge of the District Court of Family Court.