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OCFS director reports 23% drop in children in care since July 2024 and outlines workforce, kinship and policy steps
Summary
OCFS Director Bobbi Johnson told lawmakers the number of children in care fell from 2,441 in September 2024 to 1,878 in December 2024 (a 23% decrease), and outlined new family team meeting facilitators, kin‑first placement efforts, psychotropic medication policy work and preparations for the federal Child and Family Services Review.
Director Bobbi Johnson of the Office of Child and Family Services briefed the committee on the agency's strategic plan and operational actions to improve safety, permanency and workforce capacity.
Johnson said OCFS'using a safety‑science approach'has focused on intake quality, family team meetings to avoid removal, and reducing placement numbers. "Since July 2024, we've reduced the number of kids in care by 23 percent," she told the committee, citing a decline from 2,441 children in care in September 2024 to 1,878 in December 2024. She noted the department now reports voluntary extended‑care youth separately from foster‑care counts.
Johnson described field‑tested changes: eight trained family‑team meeting facilitators assigned to district offices to support pre‑removal planning; a kin‑first placement priority and participation in a New England collaborative on kinship care; and contingency funds (legislatively appropriated) to support trial home placements with housing or immediate needs.
On psychotropic medication oversight, Johnson said OCFS updated policy and training, revised informed‑consent forms, and is selecting an evaluator after an RFP process that drew an appeal. She said data collection tools and internal/external resource pages are in development to support implementation.
Johnson also summarized workforce efforts: district visits, retention workgroups, vacancy reporting and efforts to improve onboarding and training. She said the agency will participate in the federal Child and Family Services Review beginning Oct. 2026 and continue stakeholder outreach.
Committee members requested district‑level retention and vacancy data and updated child‑fatality dashboard figures; Johnson said OCFS would provide that information.
