Tennessee is moving to improve services for children in state custody

Gov. Bill Lee has proclaimed May as Foster Care Month in Tennessee and is focusing on recent legislative action that directs $600 million in new funds to accelerate child placement and to support services for foster and adoptive families.During the month, Lee said the state will recognize the 5,000 Tennessee families who "open their hearts and hands to children in need." Lee also noted in his proclamation that the state has an obligation to see that "every child has a loving and permanent home."He cited bipartisan support in the Tennessee General Assembly for passage of his administration's Forever Homes Act, which will accelerate child placements by:• Allowing for a judicial waiver to speed adoption finalization from six to three months if a court sees fit.• Providing foster parents a respite period of up to six months without losing their standing as a foster home.• Extending care services for expectant mothers on TennCare.The governor also included $168.4 million in the state's new budget for the Tennessee Department of Children's Services to improve foster care and adoptions services, as well as expand the number of children in the Adoption Assistance program and increase private provider placements for children awaiting long-term placement.State Sen. Rusty Crowe, R-Johnson City, said there is a "strong emphasis" on keeping foster children in a family-like setting and keeping siblings together whenever possible. He said the state is also trying to keep them close to their home communities."But we are we are in dire need of foster and adoptive parents," said Crowe, who is the chairman of the state Senate Health and Welfare Committee.To learn about becoming a foster parent, go to https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/dcs/program-areas/foster-care-and-adoption/foster-care/form.html.Crowe said the state's Department of Children's Services is responsible for the more than 8,000 children in state custody, including 6,000 currently in foster care throughout the state.He said the department relies on a network of providers and foster parents throughout the state "to ensure that kids in state custody have a loving and safe home" while they are in foster care."We currently have 4,915 foster families and are in the process of training 1,128 additional parents," Crowe said. "Gov. Lee's administration and the General Assembly have devoted significant resources toward supporting foster families including: board payment rate increases, childc are vouchers, no cost summer camps and rate increases for adoption assistance and subsidized permanent guardianship to support and encourage forever homes for these children."Crowe said the legislative package the General Assembly passed this year was meant to help "streamline" the foster and adoption process."We know that many of the children in state custody will not be able to go back to their former families, so we want to help accelerate the adoption process so that they can be placed in a forever, permanent, loving home as soon and as safe as possible," the senator said.He said there are number of organizations operating in his Senate District 3, which is made up of Carter, Johnson and Washington counties, that provide support to foster parents and to children who are in state care. They include:• Isaiah 117 House, which provides the three counties with clothing, basic needs and respite housing.• The Washington County Foster Parent Association, which provides support services.• The Child Advocacy Center in Washington County.• Heritage Church, which offers a transitional placement setting, food and activities for girls ages 8 to 10 in Washington County.• The Smile Closet, which provides clothing and basic child care supplies.• Families Free, which provides clothing, parental housing and referrals for services.• CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates program of Northeast Tennessee), which assists in the investigation of child abuse and neglect cases for local juvenile courts.