New initiative works to return children home from foster care

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200.

That's roughly the number of foster children needing to return to their permanent homes as quickly and safely as possible during the COVID-19 health crisis.

This task is large, but Michigan Supreme Court Justice Megan Cavanagh, along with co-liaison, Justice Elizabeth Clement say it's possible thanks to their partnership with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) on their Rapid Permanency Reunification project.

"We all feel very strongly that children shouldn't remain in foster care any longer than they have to,” said Justice Cavanagh.

COVID-19 prevented foster care children close to going home, from being reunited with their families due to the physical closure of courts.

But with the courts ability to remotely work, it's eliminating this barrier and individual challenges families faced before the crisis.

"During a time like this, during this pandemic, now more than ever, it is important for children to be with their parents,” said MDHHS Public Information Officer, Bob Wheaton. “That's generally where children are best."

"We have judges that are absolutely committed to continuing the work that needs to be done, and with partnering with DHHS, we are able to identify the children that are very, very close to being returned,” explained Judge Clement.

While the goal is to get the project's current group back with their biological parents in the next 30 days, both justices say their work won't stop here.

"The ability to be able to do this remotely has been very well received. We're learning a lot of lessons, and what we're hoping is not just the rapid return of children in that permanency planning continuing those efforts, but also the remote access to the courts has proven to be very helpful in this area, and a number of other areas,” said Justice Clement.

The hope is that this change opens the possibility to re-evaluate and make improvements not only benefitting the lives of families in this program, but throughout the entire Michigan community.