Issues@Hand

AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs

June 2018 – HB1, the first bill of Kentucky’s 2018 legislative session, is aimed at serving more than 10,000 children in state foster care. The law, fully funded in the final budget, requires departments to report average caseloads on a county and regional level, in addition to the statewide numbers they already track.

This will give “a better idea of what is happening to our social workers in every county, and not just statewide. We can see where more workers are needed and what resources they need,” Representative and majority caucus chair David Meade (R) said.

The goal is to reduce the time children spend in the foster system. The bill details deadlines that must be met to ensure children in state custody are either quickly reunited with their biological families or placed for adoption.

Some family advocates expressed concern about an “adoption fast track.” At press time, HB1 had been delivered to Governor Matt Bevin for approval.

bpnews.net, 4/3/18; kentucky.com, 2/22/18