Earlier this month, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) announced 24 new and supplemental grant awards from a variety of funders, including the State Justice Institute (SJI).  This support, totaling more than $11 million, will ensure justice and improve outcomes for families and children in courts nationwide.

SJI is pleased to support an initiative on military families in juvenile and family courts. In partnership with the U. S. Department of Defense, this initiative will allow the NCJFCJ to identify and recruit juvenile and family courts in jurisdictions with significant military presence; create an online national resource center; develop a training curriculum for judges, military command, and key stakeholders; and hold a second summit on military families and state courts for continuing and sustaining these efforts.

“The NCJFCJ is ecstatic to continue its partnership with the State Justice Institute to address issues faced by military families in the juvenile and family court system,” said Judge Anthony (Tony) Capizzi, NCJFCJ president. “Military families face unique challenges including long separations from one another as a result of deployments or relocations, chronic pain, traumatic brain injury and mental health including depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.  The NCJFCJ looks forward to working with judges to address the needs of military-connected families, with access to resources like counseling and child care services, while being sensitive to the traumas they may have experienced.”