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Wythe County CPMT reports foster care caseload more than doubled, flags budget strain
Summary
Chair Kimberly Ayers told the Wythe County CPMT that 50 children were in foster care as of March 2026, up from 24 a year earlier; the Team noted 82% of the CSA budget had been spent by March 31 and discussed seeking additional local funds for the final quarter.
Kimberly Ayers, chair of the Wythe County Community Policy & Management Team, told members the county had 50 children in foster care as of March 2026, compared with 24 at the same time in 2025. The report came during the Team’s April 28 meeting.
The disclosure followed a review of Pool Reimbursement Request Reports and Wythe County Social Services budget summaries. Stephen Bear told the Team that, as of March 31, approximately 82% of the Comprehensive Services Act (CSA) budget had been spent and suggested the county may need to request additional local funds to cover the final quarter of the fiscal year. The minutes note local match for March 2026 decreased by about $1,000 from March 2025.
The Team’s discussion framed the caseload increase as a material fiscal concern. The chair and staff said the higher-than-expected foster-care population is driving increased expenditures across multiple service categories, including treatment foster care, parent reunification services and residential education noted elsewhere on the agenda.
The meeting also included administrative items and next steps: Team members incorporated audit observations into the strategic plan and identified Quality Improvement Plan deliverables due to the Office of Children’s Services (OCS). The Team scheduled follow-up work on budget projections and potential local‑funding requests for the remainder of the fiscal year.
The Team set its next meeting for May 26, 2026.
