Recruiting Foster Care Review Board Members - North Platte

There are currently 3 Foster Care Review Boards serving the North Platte, Ogallala, McCook areas. We are seeking 2-3 board members to fill recent vacancies on the 3 boards. 1 Review Board is meeting via zoom and 2 are meeting in person. These are Volunteer positions, but attendance is important.

The FCRO is an independent state agency, separate from the judicial branch, from the Department of Health and Human Services, and from Probation. This allows our Review Boards the ability to review, assess, report, and make recommendations without any influence from other agencies or departments regarding the child/youth’s case review.

Review Board members review case summaries of 4-5 cases of children in foster care each month to provide another set of eyes on the case, and offer recommendations regarding next steps and services that may help the case move forward so that permanency with the parent/s can be re-established sooner, or in cases where the return to the parent is not possible, provide recommendations so that other permanency can occur.

Each board meets the same day and time each month. Commitment, confidentiality, and monthly attendance is important.

We are looking for individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities and professions. Must be over the age of 23. Individuals with community knowledge, and also those with backgrounds to do with medical, mental health, social worker, education, substance abuse, domestic violence, housing, and other areas which impact the families of children in foster care. This is important as we continue to develop diverse, boards made up of caring, resourceful, and committed community volunteers.

The Foster Care Review Office is a State Agency put in place by the Nebraska Legislature to provide oversight of the Child Welfare System. As part of our mandate, we have 54 Citizen Review Boards across Nebraska that review the cases of children and youth in foster care. Contact Mary Furnas, Training Coordinator for additional information by emailing mary.furnas@nebraska.gov