WASHINGTON: FOSTER CARE HEARING SET FOR PHILLY

HARRISBURG, July 9 – At the request of state Sen. LeAnna Washington (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery), the state Senate Democratic Policy Committee will hold a public hearing in Philadelphia to discuss improving Pennsylvania’s foster care system.

The third and final public hearing on the status of children in the foster care system is scheduled for Thursday, July 17 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in Room 109 of the University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School of Communications, 3260 Walnut Street, Philadelphia.

“These hearings are essential for discovering what is working, and what needs to be fixed in foster care systems across the state,” Washington said.  “Too often children are unprepared for the real world when exiting the foster care system and we need to remedy this sooner rather than later.”

The committee will focus on foster care issues ranging from criteria for placement, foster parent eligibility, agency accountability and seeking ways to prevent problems that ensue when kids “age out” of the system.

Anne Marie Ambrose, the new commissioner of the Department of Human Services in Philadelphia, is scheduled to present testimony at the hearing.

As Democratic chairwoman of the Senate Aging and Youth Committee, Washington has continuously sought ways to keep children safe. She sponsored two bills (SB 1245 and SB 1246) that would allow children to stay in foster care until they are 21, instead of age 18.