To the editor:

The Citizen Review Board is Oregon’s statewide foster care review program that reviews the case plans of children and families involved in the child welfare system to determine if their placements and services are appropriate.

Each child in foster care is required by law to have their case reviewed by a judge or a panel of local citizens called a Citizen Review Board every six months to ensure the foster child is receiving adequate care. Two local Citizen Review Boards in Lincoln are comprised of volunteers from Lincoln county who are willing to give one day each month to review cases as well as additional time to read materials to prepare for the reviews.

I am one of the Lincoln County volunteers, and we are looking for more local people to participate.

Currently, due to the COVID-19 restrictions, we are doing all reviews remotely online. We hope to return to in-person reviews in October.

In reviewing plans and services for children and youth, local boards seek to ensure that each abused or neglected child has a safe and nurturing permanent home as quickly as possible and that everyone in the case gets the services they need.

The Citizens Review Board invites parents, foster parents, attorneys, caseworkers, court-appointed special advocates, other interested parties, and the child, if appropriate, to attend the review and discuss plans for the family and the child. It is important for every party to have a voice. The board then makes findings and recommendations to the circuit court and the Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare.

Volunteers are screened and trained to serve. If you are interested in looking into this volunteer opportunity further, please feel free to contact Tricia Swallow at 503-983-1308 or email at Tricia.m.Swallow@ojd.state.or.us or go to http://www.courts.oregon.gov/crb. You can submit an application at: https://orjudicial.workflowcloud.com/forms/cc1bd231-6d5f-4655-b748-2c6f1fb92ccd.

— Maggie Paul, Yachats