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HomeNewsMontgomery County Juvenile Court seeks Foster Care Review Board Members

Montgomery County Juvenile Court seeks Foster Care Review Board Members

Montgomery County Government TennesseeMontgomery County, TN — Montgomery County Juvenile Court is earnestly seeking adults willing to serve on the local foster care review board for the best interest of children in our community.

Many children in Montgomery County are placed in state custody due to the abuse of drugs, alcohol, physical and sexual abuse by their parents or guardians. These children’s lives are uprooted through no fault of their own.

Children in our county are also born with drug addictions because parents have been using dangerous drugs.

Montgomery County Juvenile Court Foster Care Review Board is looking for members.
Montgomery County Juvenile Court Foster Care Review Board is looking for members.

In addition, the Tennessee Department of Children Services (DCS) has a high employee turnover rate which adds to the lack of continuity of service for the children.

Due to the chronic shortage of foster homes in Montgomery County, our children are placed in various locations across the state – some hundreds of miles away from home. Children who require specialized care may be placed in states outside of Tennessee.

Permanency is the goal for children and the foster care program is vital to this effort. Children are placed back into the custody of their parents or a family member when possible and as soon as possible. Until they can be placed with their family, it is important to place children in a safe environment, away from the problems that necessitated their removal.

“We should all work to ensure that these children are able to realize safety, security and stability as quickly as possible,” stated County Probation Case Manager Supervisor and Foster Care Coordinator Howard Johnson.

Foster care review boards are comprised of citizen volunteers appointed by juvenile court judges. The boards serve the quasi-judicial function of hearing cases and advising the court by overseeing the progress of custody cases for children in foster care. DCS is required to tailor plans for each child.

The foster care review board reviews the cases of children in DCS custody and files reports containing findings and recommendations which are forwarded to the juvenile court judges. Foster Care Review Boards are not aligned with DCS. Children in DCS custody must have their cases reviewed by juvenile court judges and/or foster care review boards.

Children are placed in DCS custody by juvenile court judges for reasons such as educational neglect or delinquent offenses enacted by the child. Parents also petition juvenile court to remove unruly or delinquent children from their homes, due to an inability to properly supervise them.

Please consider this opportunity to support children in foster care. For information about helping children by becoming a foster care review board member, please contact Howard Johnson at 931.648.7686 or email hhjohnson@mcgtn.net

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