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State Foster Care Review Board (FCRB)

Revision Date

AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

State Foster Care Review Board (FCRB)

Authority

The State Foster Care Review Board (FCRB) was established by Laws 1978, Chapter 102. Statutory authority for the FCRB is found at A.R.S §8-515.04.

Authority for local foster care review boards is found at A.R.S. §§8-514.01 through 8-514.03.

Function

The FCRB, established within the Arizona Supreme Court, coordinates and reviews the activities of local foster care review boards across Arizona and “…aids the juvenile court to determine the proper disposition of children in foster care” (Laws 2006, Chapter 9, Laws 2016, Chapter 134 and Laws 2024, Chapter 162 - Purpose). There is at least one local board in each county. Members of the local board are appointed by the presiding juvenile court judge in that county. Generally, one local board is created for every 100 children who have been placed in out-of-home care.

The FCRB establishes training programs for local board members. This training is required in order to serve on a local board pursuant to A.R.S. §8-515.01(D). The Arizona Supreme Court may adopt rules relating to the functions and procedures of both the FCRB and the local boards.

Members of the State FCRB are appointed by the Supreme Court and must have knowledge of the problems of foster care. The presiding juvenile court judge in each county appoints one member for every ten local boards in the county; counties with a single local board appoint one member to the FCRB. The FCRB website also notes that they advise the juvenile court by sending their reports and recommendations to the judge in placement cases, as well as other interested parties (foster parents, attorneys, etc.). The number of local boards the FCRB oversees varies significantly by county. The website reports that there are 123 local boards statewide. Apache, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Navajo, and Santa Cruz counties each have one local board. The remaining counties have more than one local board: Maricopa (64), Pima (23), Pinal (11), Mohave (5), Yavapai (4), Cochise (4), Coconino (2), Gila (2), and Yuma (2).

History

The FCRB was created by Laws 1978, Chapter 102 in response to a concern that foster children were spending too long in temporary placements and out-of-home care The measure created state and local foster care review boards and prescribed members, terms, qualifications, compensation, meetings, powers and duties and progress reports.

Originally, only five members of the FCRB were appointed by the Supreme Court. This legislation created both the FCRB and the local boards to advise juvenile court judges on children seeking permanent placements and to assess progress toward that goal. The FCRB was intended to be a coordinating body for the local boards, as well as providing training to the local boards which were made up of volunteers.

The Supreme Court was authorized to hire a coordinator and other staff as it felt necessary to carry out the FCRB’s duties. The FCRB was also expected to make recommendations to the Supreme Court, Governor, and State Legislature on foster care statutes, policies, and procedures by January 15th each year. This requirement was repealed in 2003 as part of an omnibus bill that eliminated the requirement for state agencies to submit these types of reports. See Laws 2003, Chapter 104, Section 2.

Laws 1996, Chapter 65 increased the number of members appointed to the FCRB by the Supreme Court from five to seven. The law also required each local board to have at least five members (rather than a range of three to five).

Laws 1997, Chapter 222 reorganized child welfare statutes and established the Arizona Court Improvement Project Study Committee with a report due to the Governor, Legislative leadership and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court by November 15, 1997. The measure also established the Protective Services Caseload Standards Advisory Committee with an annual reporting requirement.

Laws 2016, Chapter 134 reduced the number of members appointed to the FCRB by the Supreme Court from seven to three and modified the formula to appoint county members to the state board, capping the number of members from the same county who can be appointed to the FCRB at six. The presiding judge of the juvenile court in a county may appoint one member for every ten local boards in the county, rather than one member for every three local boards. The measure also required the Department of Child Safety to review foster home licensing rules and report its findings to Legislative leadership by December 31, 2016.

Laws 2024, Chapter 162 continued the FCRB until July 1, 2028 and established an annual reporting requirement for the FCRB. The report, due by November 1 each year, shall include: 1) the number of times the FCRB failed to submit reports to the juvenile court within a time frame that allows sufficient time for judicial review before a dependency hearing; 2) FCRB progress in facilitating and increasing parent and foster parent attendance at local board reviews; and 3) the number of times the FCRB failed to timely and accurately enter data into the state Board data system regarding child dependency cases and local board reviews.

Sources

  • Arizona Revised Statutes A.R.S. §§ 8-515.01 through 8-515.04
  • Session Laws
    • Laws 1978, Chapter 102
    • Laws 1996, Chapter 65
    • Laws 1997, Chapter 222
    • Laws 2003, Chapter 104
    • Laws 2006, Chapter 9
    • Laws 2016, Chapter 134
    • Laws 2024, Chapter 162

State Foster Care Review Board website

Joint Legislative Health & Human Services Committee of Reference Arizona Foster Care Review Board 2024 Sunset Review

Foster Care Review Board Annual Reports

Arizona Auditor General Performance Audit & Sunset Review, 2015, Report 15-110