Kentucky Court of Justice
Volunteers needed in Berea to assist children placed in foster care

The Citizen Foster Care Review Board (CFCRB) of Berea is seeking volunteers to make a difference in the lives of local foster children. Volunteers are needed to review cases of children placed in foster care because of dependency, abuse and neglect.

"There are currently over 50 children in foster care in the Berea area. Volunteering with a review board is a way to really help these children in our community," said Mae Philbeck, CFCRB field coordinator.

The Kentucky General Assembly created the Citizen Foster Care Review Boards in 1982 as a way to decrease the time children spend in foster care. CFCRB volunteers review Cabinet for Health and Family Services files to help ensure that foster children receive the necessary services while in out-of-home care and are placed in permanent homes as quickly as possible.

Nearly 750 volunteers serve as members of the 141 local review boards across the state. In the last year alone, the boards reviewed the case files of over 8,000 children who were removed from their homes and placed into foster care.

All volunteers must complete a six-hour initial training session, and consent to a criminal record and central registry check. A recommendation is then made to the chief judge of District Court or Family Court for appointment.

The Berea CFCRB meets at 4 p.m. every month at the Department of Community Based Services in Berea. For more information, contact:

Mae Philbeck, Field Coordinator
Citizen Foster Care Review Boards of Berea
502-573-2350 or 800-928-2350

The Dependent Children’s Services Division of the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) in Frankfort oversees the CFCRB program. The AOC is the administrative arm of the Kentucky Court of Justice and supports the activities of more than 3,500 court system employees, including elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. The AOC also executes the Judicial Branch bud