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Board accepts Foster Care Standards and Oversight Committee annual report; members cite reductions in foster care entries
Summary
The board accepted the committee's annual report covering July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024; committee and Department of Social Services officials highlighted a roughly 40% reduction in children placed in foster care and improved vacancy rates for social workers.
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors on March 25 accepted the annual report of the Foster Care Standards and Oversight Committee for activities from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.
Wilma Tom Hashimoto, a long‑time committee member, and Rosemary Alanis, committee chair, presented highlights to the board. They credited expanded prevention services, increased reunification supports and targeted hiring for social workers with a near 40% reduction in children in placement compared with two years ago. Department of Social Services staff told the board the county now has just under 1,500 children in out‑of‑home placement and works with roughly 2,000 children in the child welfare system.
Committee members said vacancies in child welfare had fallen from about 14% to roughly 5% following board‑authorized hiring and pay changes and that the department has shortened visitation backlogs and increased services that support reunification. The committee also noted modest gains in high‑priority metrics: the foster youth graduation rate rose from 55.36% to 59.09% in the reporting period, while school stability decreased slightly from 61% to 59.6%.
The committee requested that the board appoint six additional members to fill vacancies on its roster; several supervisors said they would review applications and make appointments. After public comment and discussion, the board voted to accept the report.
Why it matters: The report and presenters showed measurable movement on key child‑welfare indicators and underscored the county’s emphasis on prevention and reunification strategies. Committee oversight provides community input on services that directly affect children and families.
Details: The committee meets monthly, receives a departmental fact sheet and has added county counsel support to ensure Brown Act compliance. Presenters cited specific programs used in prevention and reunification including voluntary family maintenance, differential response strategies, and partnerships with neighborhood resource centers and behavioral health.
Speakers included Wilma Tom Hashimoto (committee member), Rosemary Alanis (committee chair), and Sonya Bouquet (Department of Social Services). The board voted to accept the report by voice vote.
