Review board seeks Yuma County volunteers
The Arizona Supreme Court is accepting applications from citizens who wish to serve as volunteers on the Foster Care Review Board in Yuma County.
The role of the review board is to assist the juvenile courts with reviewing the cases of children who reside in out-of-home placements and make recommendations in the best interest of the child for consideration by the juvenile court judge.
Each volunteer is assigned to one review board which meets monthly for approximately six hours on a weekday. Additionally, volunteers must be able to commit approximately four to six hours at home reviewing case information in preparation for the case review.
Review board members are not paid, but they are eligible for reimbursement for mileage and subsistence according to state regulations.
The Foster Care Review Boards were established in state legislation in 1978 and conducted their first review 25 years ago, on Feb. 1, 1979.
Since the boards have been operating, statistics show that there are fewer children in institutions, more children adopted, and fewer placement moves of children while in foster care.
Currently, there are more than 400 volunteers serving as members of 87 review boards statewide. Each month, boards will review hundreds of cases of children in out-of-home care. But with the increase in the number of children entering the foster care system, the review boards required to meet the demand of new cases to be reviewed.
Currently, there are more than 4,300 cases consisting of more than 7,400 children.
For more information or applications, call or write to Foster Care Review Board, 1501 W. Washington, Suite 128, Phoenix, AZ 85007. In Arizona, call toll free 1-800-732-8193, or in Phoenix call 602-542-9683.
