The Subcommittee on Placement of Children of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions was authorized to conduct its study by House Resolution No. 8 agreed to by the House during the 1976 Session.

Pursuant to the direction of the House of Delegates to conduct a study of the placement and institutionalization of children, Delegate Donald G. Pendleton of Amherst, Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions appointed a subcommittee to fulfill this responsibility. Delegate Frank M. Slayton of South Boston was appointed to act as chairman of the Subcommittee. The following Delegates were appointed to serve as members of the Subcommittee: Richard W. Elliott of Rustburg, Evelyn M. Hailey of Norfolk, Joan S. Jones of Lynchburg, Mary A. Marshall of Arlington, Owen B. Pickett of Virginia Beach, Norman Sisisky of Petersburg and C. Jefferson Stafford of Pearisburg. Citizens who were appointed to serve as members of the Subcommittee are as follows: Virginia M. Babcock of Appomattox, Jane Hotchkiss of Richmond, William B. Leaman of Roanoke, Dr. Marty Mayfield of Berryville, (Mrs.) Woodriff Sprinkel of Richmond and Louise Toney of Richmond.

The problems which the resolution directs the Committee to explore were brought to light by previous legislative studies in the children's field, including the Subcommittee on Group Foster Homes of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions which met during 1975, the Virginia Advisory Legislative Council Committee to Study the Needs of Young Children and the Virginia Advisory Legislative Council Subcommittee on the Juvenile Code Revision both of which met during 1974 and 1975. Each of these legislative efforts has in some way touched upon the placement of and the availability of services to children in in-state and out-ofstate facilities. It has been the task of the House Subcommittee on Placement of Children to deal specifically with these issues.

Significant improvement has been made in the working relationships of the various State agencies responsible for placing and providing services to children and in these agencies' comprehension of the problems in this area during the past year. Reliable and comprehensive statistical data concerning the number of children placed in facilities both in the State and out of the State and concerning the funds used to support these placements was not even available eighteen months ago. Without such basic information, policies cannot be developed nor funds properly allocated to address any lack of services or facilities in the Commonwealth to meet the needs of these children. The statistics recounted in House Resolution No. 8 have been developed in considerably more detail as a result of this study and will be discussed later in this report.

In addition to the compilation of statistical data on children and funding and the relationships and responsibilities of various State agencies in this field, the Committee has also considered the need for alternative placements for children both in State and private facilities. The further development and support of existing local, State and private programs through licensing procedures, financial incentives and technical assistance will be addressed later in this report.

House Resolution No. 8 also directs this Committee to consider "the appropriate location of the Division of Youth Services in the governmental structure of the Commonwealth." Due to the lack of time to adequately address this issue during the past year, no recommendations will be made on this matter at this time.

Of notable importance in this study is the contribution made by the citizens who have served as members of the Subcommittee. The expertise of these members in the fields of education, social services, juvenile corrections and in mental health has been invaluable in the Subcommittee's deliberations. The Committee wishes to commend and support the practice of appointing citizen members to special subcommittees of standing committees of the House of Delegates and Senate.