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FY20 Oversight Testimony: Child and Family Services Agency

February 12, 2020

Children’s Law Center Executive Director Judith Sandalow and Senior Policy Attorney Aubrey Edwards-Luce shared their insight during CFSA’s oversight hearing. Because CLC represents the best interests of hundreds of children in foster care, as well as representing foster parents and relative caregivers of children who are in or at risk of entering DC’s child welfare system, we are able to offer an informed perspective on CFSA’s practices and policies. We applaud the agency’s successes in 2019, including its support for the Close Relative Caregiver’s Subsidy Pilot. However, we also note areas essential to the wellbeing of children in foster care where the agency’s performance needs improvement:

– CFSA does not have enough foster parents able, willing, and properly supported to successfully meet the needs of the children coming into care.

– The agency has yet to solve its placement crisis, and placement disruptions can have a traumatic impact on youth in care.

– The number of children in CFSA’s care who experienced psychiatric hospitaliztion increased dramatically from FY18 to FY19.

To address these problems, we recommend greater transparency and resources to generate more positive outcomes for DC’s children.

Read the full testimonies here:

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