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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 7, 2012
 
CONTACT
Russ Reno, Communications and Legislative Services, (o) 402-471-8287, (c) 402-450-7318 russ.reno@nebraska.gov)
 
Children & Family Services Director Appoints IV-E Demonstration Project Committee
 
Lincoln – Members of the IV-E Demonstration Project Committee were named today by Thomas Pristow, director of Children and Family Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The 11-member committee was created by Legislative Bill 820 in the 2012 legislative session.
 
The IV-E Committee is the third committee named a part of child welfare legislation passed by the Nebraska Legislature.
 
Title IV-E is part of the Social Security Act that provides federal matching funds for children who are placed in out-of-home care. DHHS’ IV-E demonstration project will propose a waiver of requirements under the act to cap these funds. The committee is charged to review, report and provide recommendations regarding DHHS’ application for the demonstration project to obtain a waiver, he said.
 
The committee will include the following members.
 
One member from an advocacy organization dealing with child welfare legal and policy issues:
• Sarah Forrest, Policy Coordinator, Voices for Children, Omaha.
 
One member from an advocacy organization dealing with issues impacting children:
• Candy Kennedy, Director, Nebraska Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, Minden.
 
Two members, one each from two separate child welfare services agencies that provide wide-range of child welfare services:
• Jim Blue, President, CEDARS, Lincoln.
• Jerry Davis, Vice President, National Advocacy and Public Policy, Boys Town.
 
One member from a lead agency:
• Bill Reay, Ph.D., President & CEO, OMNI Behavioral Health, Omaha.
 
Two members from Department of Health and Human Services:
• Sara Goscha, Special Projects Administrator for the Director, DHHS, Lincoln.
• Kevin Nelson, Fiscal Project Analyst, DHHS, Lincoln
 
Ex-officio members named by the State Court Administrator:
• Corey Steel, Interim Director of Juvenile Services, Probation Administration, Lincoln.
• Everett Inbody, Chief Judge, Court of Appeals, Wahoo.
• Dr. Vicky Weisz, Director, Nebraska Court Improvement Project, Lincoln.
• Sheri Dawson, Deputy Director, Division of Behavioral Health, DHHS, Lincoln.

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