Multidisciplinary team advocacy and legal representation for abused and neglected children.

The OJJDP FY 10 Earmarks Program furthers the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Conference Report to accompany the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-117), H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 111-366 at 702-714.

The purpose of this project is to provide cost-effective quality advocacy to 500 abused, neglected and at-risk dependent children. This will be accomplished by providing each child with a multidisciplinary team consisting of an attorney and social service professional that will advocate for all of that childs needs. The team will be responsible for visiting the child outside of court, attending meetings on the child's behalf, gathering and reviewing all relevant information that relates to a childs safety, permanency and well-being and researching placement and service options. With this information, the team will formulate uniquely tailored recommendations to present at court and other forums where decisions are made. The team will also follow up to make sure that the needed services are being provided to the child. NCA/NCF