Joan Kleine was the recipient of the 2018 Outstanding Volunteer Award from the Kentucky State Foster Care Review Board for her service in reviewing foster care cases in Lincoln County, as well as Estill, Garrard, Jessamine, Madison, Mercer, and Powell Counties.

Kleine is also the regional representative for a 13-county area, and serves on the Kentucky State Foster Care Review Board.

Kentucky Foster Care Review Boards meet with foster children, foster and biological parents, social workers, CASA representatives and attorneys to review cases. After they review cases they make recommendations to family court judges regarding these foster children.

The Kentucky Legislature, in its last session, passed HB 1 which requires periodic regional public hearings on the foster care system. Kleine assisted in coordinating the regional reviews in Lexington and Corbin.