OJJDP FY 2021 Child Abuse Training for Judicial and Court Personnel

The NCJFCJ will make system improvements in court processes that will improve the judicial system’s handling of child abuse, neglect, and related cases, with a specific emphasis on the role of the courts in addressing reasonable efforts that can safely avoid unnecessary and unnecessarily prolonged foster care placement.

The NCJFCJ will accomplish this by: developing a model approach/procedures for coordinating information and services for families involved in court-related child abuse and neglect cases; developing training and technical assistance that supports this model approach to coordinated case management by the courts; implementing evidence-based practices to improve the courts’ handling of child abuse, neglect, and related cases; developing and guiding administrative improvements in juvenile and family courts, with an emphasis on understanding the nexus between child welfare and juvenile delinquency cases and specifically preventing youth from moving from the child welfare system to the juvenile justice system; developing and delivering training and technical assistance to judicial personnel and attorneys in juvenile and family courts, including specialized training on handling families impacted by opioids exploring and presenting best practices or guidance on alternative arrangements to foster care, implementation issues related to the Family First Prevention Services Act, including impact on child welfare and related cases; and developing and disseminating best practices, innovations, and lessons learned from this model project at the national level.

The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) proposes to make system improvements in court processes that will improve the judicial system’s handling of child abuse, neglect, and related cases, with a specific emphasis on the role of the courts in addressing reasonable efforts that can safely avoid unnecessary and prolonged foster care placement. The NCJFCJ will accomplish this by developing a model approach/procedures for coordinating information and services for families involved in court-related child abuse and neglect cases; developing training and technical assistance that supports this model approach to coordinated case management by the courts; implementing evidence-based practices to improve the courts’ handling of child abuse, neglect, and related cases; developing and guiding administrative improvements in juvenile and family courts; developing and delivering training and technical assistance to judicial personnel and attorneys in juvenile and family courts, including specialized training on promising approaches to work effectively with and engage families impacted by opioids, mental health, and trauma; examining status youth and the link between child welfare and juvenile delinquency; and developing and disseminating best practices, innovations, and lessons learned from this model project at the national level. System reforms will be directed at the local, state, and national levels with a concentration on a system change collaborative, and this will be achieved by targeted training for state and tribal court judicial officers and other juvenile and family court professionals; onsite and virtual tailored technical assistance, training, expert guidance; assessment of court practices; offering trauma consultations; and dissemination of strategies for enhanced practice in juvenile and family courts.