HOPE, Inc. supports the general goals of a structured tool to determine additional daily supervision. We want adoptive parents and foster parents to receive the same support. We want the state to be able to collect all federal dollars.
The process of developing the VEMAT tool, informing the public and implementation is alarming to anyone involved in the actual care of children. The process has been exclusive of foster parent involvement with little or no public awareness regarding implementation or intended outcome.
How can the state say they are offering the public a reasonable time for feedback when the state (VDSS) has not conducted meetings explaining the VEMAT tool to foster parents? The time for public comments ends on July 8th yet the first town hall meeting with VDSS to explain the VEMAT tool to foster parents is on July 9th!
