According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau, on average over 400,000 abused and neglected children live in foster care in the U.S. and foster care systems serve over 600,000 children and youth every year.[1] According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, in 2020, 34% of child maltreatment victims were under age 3, more than half were female (51%), 44% were white, and the majority (61%) experienced neglect, and American Indian/Alaskan Natives, Black, multiple race, Pacific Islander, and Hispanic youth were more likely to be victimized than white youth.[2] State courts play a pivotal role in the lives of these children and families. Every day judges are faced with difficult decisions affecting children and youth with foster care system involvement, continually challenged to find the right solutions in each of their cases.
Through a special Request for Applications (RFA) process earlier in FY 2023, SJI awarded grants to further improve state court efforts in addressing child abuse and neglect. Over $1.3 million in grant application were received in response to this RFA. SJI awarded a total of five grants:
- ○ The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) to: 1) standardize three existing dependency court evaluation research databases; 2) analyze variables with strong relationships to improved outcomes, such as the time required to reach final permanency; and 3) translate these findings into model case management reports.
- ○ The University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work to further develop and refine a multilevel Family Recovery Court that promotes recovery, reunification, and well-being among families with substance use disorder in child welfare. Using a three-pronged approach and community partnership, the FRC’s principles include: 1) keeping families together; 2) ensuring child safety, permanency, and well-being; and 3) advancing the development of adequate resources.
- ○ The Fifth Judicial District Court of Pennsylvania to develop an implementation plan to establish a multi-disciplinary legal representation office for indigent parents involved in the dependency system who, because of a conflict of interest, cannot be represented by the primary multidisciplinary legal office that handles such matters.
- ○ The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) to develop a supplemental guide that provides courts with virtual hearing guidance specifically related to child welfare proceedings. This supplemental guide will provide policy, practice, and technological recommendations to help courts ensure that virtual dependency proceedings are fair, accessible, and adhere to best practices. The project will build on the NCSC’s Remote Proceedings Toolkit.
- ○ The National Association of Women Judges to partner with the NCJFCJ to develop special podcasts for judges on the best practices in handling child abuse and neglect cases.
[1] Children’s Bureau Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) Report #9.Online. Available: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cb/afcarsreport28.pdf. Released on November 1, 2022.
[2] OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/victims/qa02107.asp?qaDate=2020. Released on April 18, 2022