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Rep. Green unveils much-needed improvements to state’s adoption and foster care system
RELEASE|November 10, 2021
Contact: Phil Green

State Rep. Phil Green, of Millington, today unveiled a report compiled by the bipartisan House Adoption and Foster Care Task Force during a press conference. The report details findings that resulted from meetings with stakeholders, experts, and the state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

The task force’s mission was to listen to people from the entire continuum of the state’s child welfare system, partner with experienced and knowledgeable professionals to learn how and why the system is falling short, and find effective solutions to ensure that every child has champions and forever homes by developing better, more effective systems to ensure their voices are heard.

Green was appointed to the task force in February.

Joining task force members at the press conference were independent adoption and foster care advocacy groups and stakeholders like The New Foster Care, Michigan Court-Appointed Special Advocates, Michigan Federation for Children and Families, New Light Child & Family Institute, and St. Vincent Catholic Charities.

“The task force worked with many exceptional professionals and foster and adoptive parents who are doing extraordinary work to improve the lives of children who have sustained abuse and neglect,” Green said during his speech at today’s press conference. “These people go above and beyond to provide children with stable and healthy environments. With their help we identified many areas within the system that need to be addressed and programs that need more financial support. These recommendations will make a huge difference in the lives of children being cared for by the state.”

Many of the task force recommendations have already been implemented in the state budget that began on Oct. 1. They include:

  • Helping local foster care closets achieve their mission of clothing foster youth and supporting families in need
  • Increasing funding for the Family Incentive Grant, a funding pool to support foster parents who need to make home improvements
  • Establishing a county pilot program structured around high-quality legal representation for child protective proceedings
  • Vouchers for CPS caseworkers to use when fulfilling immediate needs, such as food or clothing, for children who have been abused, neglected or trafficked
  • Expanding Court Appointed Special Advocates services statewide
  • Funding to complete an actuarial study on the creation of a specialty foster care health plan in Michigan
  • A historic rate increase of $9 per day for private agency foster care

Green said legislation will be introduced in the coming weeks to fulfill more of the recommendations outlined in the task force report.

The report can be viewed on the Michigan House Republican website.

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