Finance Committee forwards resolution to add full‑time family‑finding specialist, citing fully funded state grant

The Winchester City Finance Committee voted to forward to full council a resolution to add a full‑time family‑finding specialist position to the city's classification and pay plan for the Department of Social Services.

Rebecca Hopkins, deputy director of social services, told the committee, "Our amazing DSS team received a grant from the state, fully funded, so there's no local match." She said the grant runs for five years and that the new position must be added to the pay plan for the locality to receive the award.

Why it matters: The position is part of a collaborative program called CFW2 (Clark, Frederick, Winchester, and Warren counties) that provides training, recruitment and support to local foster families. Hopkins said the grant will support family‑finding work for children who entered foster care in the four jurisdictions and that searches for relatives or fictive kin can extend beyond local borders.

Details: The committee heard that the CFW2 program is funded in part by each of the four participating localities and that the family‑finding specialist will serve the collaborative. Hopkins said eligible children would include those who entered foster care within the four‑jurisdiction area but that searches for relatives could reach anywhere in the state or nation.

Committee action: A councilor moved and seconded the recommendation to forward the resolution to full council with a recommendation for approval. The motion carried on a voice vote and will be scheduled for a future city council meeting.