ms. williamson nodding as well. let's say you get one choice on the next step of kinship care, what is your next step? ms. butts: [indiscernible] we have been through those battles together and see the change from country club grandmothers who are only in it for a few dollars to realizing that families believed deeply in family and they want to support the family option. we know that that is one of the reasons why it is important to look at the licensing standards in states. i don't know about you, but i grew up in a family of six with three bedrooms. i shared a bedroom with my sister my entire life. to think that relatives cannot figure out how to make do with a little bit less space does not make any sense. we need to take that into consideration. i think the bill you will be introducing goes a long way in helping to understand that the grandparents need those supportive services to be successful and i think that is what you and many of us have advocated for. they need to know what services exist, which they can fi

ms. williamson knotting, as well. et's say you get one choice on ,he next step of kinship care what is your next step? ms. butts: [indiscernible] [inaudible] we have been through those battles together and see the change from country club itndmothers who are only in for a few dollars to realizing that families believed deeply in family and they want to support the family option. we know that that is one of the tosons why it is important look at the licensing standards in states. i grew up in a family of six with three bedrooms. i shared a bedroom with my sister my entire life. to think that relatives cannot figure out how to make do with a little bit less space does not make any sense. we need to take that into consideration. i think the bill you will be introducing goes a long way in helping to understand that the grandparents need those supportive services to be successful and i think that is what you and many of us have advocated for. they need to know what services to exist -- what services exist. they need mental

ms. williamson, since you haven't responded yet, or ms. killett, give us a response to that quickly, but then also if you don't mind sending me a written response, that would be very helpful and look at the legislation, i'm sure most of you have already, and tell us what you think about this idea of coming up with a uniform definition. >> so i don't have a uniform definition, but i would like to say that i would like to follow up with a written response because i think it's worth -- and do a lot of thought to give you that information. >> that would be great. >> mr. nyby, would you do the same, and ms. williamson? great. thank you. >> senator scott. >> thank you, mr. chairman. and thank the members of the panel for your participation and certainly your rich testimony. it's good to know that even utah finds incredible assets in south carolina. well educated at winthrop, i think i heard. god bless you. we'll talk later on why you left, but we'll get to that later. not the point of the hearing. i will tell you that this is a moving topic and

ms. rosaline burton is a tra transplant to oregon for the summer. so we run the table. thank you, mr. chairman. >> last but certainly not least we will hear from ann williamson. ms. williamson completed a masters in social work from louisiana state university and has gone on to receive distingiushed awards from both schools. she served as president and ceo of the non-profit for louisiana and cabinet director for louisiana's social services. ms. williamson has helped the state of utah obtain a federal title 4-e waiver and the launching of a child welfare demonstration project that aims to reduce the use of foster care, child abuse and neglect, and the need for services and intervention. i welcome each member to the committee. i urge you to keep your remarks to the allotted five minutes if we can. we will start with you ms. killett. >> thank you, chairman hatch, ranking member wyden, and members of the committee for the invitation to be here today. my name is sandra killett and i am a divorced single mother who raised two sons who are now 22 and 20 years of age. i reside in new york city and i am currently employed as the executive director of the child welfare orga

ms. williamson graduated from in south carolina with a bachelor's degree in theology. and has gone on to receive distinguished alumnae awards from both schools. in october 2013, ms. williamson was appointed to her current position after serving president and ceo of the louisiana association of nonprofit associations, and cabinet secretary for louisiana's department of social services. in less than two years in her position in utah ms. williamson has overseen the state's successful efforts to obtain a federal tight and the launching of a child well fair project homeworks which aims to reduce the work of foster care, and neglect, and the need for social services intervention. i welcome each of our witnesses to the committee here today. as we proceed to openings statements, i urge you to keep your remarks to the allotted five minutes, if we can. we'll start with you. >> good morning. thank you chairman hatch, ranking member wyden and members of the committee for the invitation to be here today. my name is sandra cole. i'm a divorced single mother who raised two sons who a

ms. williamson has helped the state of utah obtain a federal title 4-e waiver and the launching of a child welfare demonstration project that aims to reduce the use of foster care child abuse and neglect, and the need for services and intervention. i welcome each member to the committee. i urge you to keep your remarks to the allotted five minutes if we >> good morning. thank you chairman hatch and members of the committee for the invitation to be here today. i am a divorced single mother who raised two sons who are now 22 and 20 years of age resided new york city and am currently employed at the child welfare organizing project its self-help advocacy organization of parents who have been affected by new york city children's services. today i and here to share in sight from my own experience as a parent from the child protective system as well as of perspective from hundreds of parents that i have worked with with a coalition of child welfare finance reform. and other parents and organizations. some are here with me this morning and day did not have the luxury that i had to come here last

ms. williamson talked about, we are about getting ready to go into a debate on the budget where there's willingness to add money. we're not yet at a bipartisan agreement to defend our families, the things that we can do that will make a tremendous difference. i hope when we go into discussion about appropriations, we will remember what we had heard here. senator and i were very pleased to offer a private project to address mental health and substance abuse in the community. it's not 50 states. it wouldn't take a lot to make it 50 states. and so i appreciate that we are able to move forward on a pilot. my fus -- frustration is there are things that we can do and should do. i hope they would wand to -- want to do it. i have questions -- >> yeah. >> regarding one piece of this that i worked on with senator portland to be cospon -- coresponsorring a bill. you know what can be done in that front i wonder if you can speak about that a little bit and therapeutic faster care services. >> senator, i can't say that i can speak directly to therapeutic foster care but this is what i can speak to. what i can sp

ms. williamson graduated in south carolina with a bachelors degree in theology. she then went on in social work has gone on to receive distinguished alum reward from both schools. october 2013 ms. lampson was appointed to current position after serving as president and ceo of at the louisiana association of nonprofit organizations and cabinet secretary for the museum is department of social services. less than two years in utah, ms. williams has overseen successful offers to obtain a federal title for each waiver and the launching of the child welfare demonstration project homework which reduces recurrence of child abuse and neglect and the need for social service intervention. i welcome each of our witnesses to the committee today and as they proceed to opening statements i urge you to keep your remarks to the allotted five minutes if you can. we will start with you. >> good morning. thank you, chairman hatch, ranking member wyden members of the committee for the invitation to be here today. my name is sandra killett, divorced single mother who raised two sons w

ms. rice, you're recognized five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. mr. williamson, i want to follow up on ms. kuster's line of questioning in terms of the va's position that was stated previously, that following f.a.r. would impact a large number of veterans by compromising immediate access to care in our community providers. now, forgive me if this was already spoken about, but do you share that? >> i share it's very much of a concern. again, unless i know more about how a f.a.r.-based system would work for purchased care for non-va providers and i know how long that takes to execute these contracts, i can't give you an answer. if i had that, i would -- but my concern is that it's going to take a longer period of time to do, and in the meantime, that veteran -- the access that that veteran has to that non-va provider is going to be degraded. >> so, we have to figure out a way to either not have f.a.r. apply, right, and implement your recommendations -- >> it wasn't our recommendation on that particular aspect.