April 2024

Call for Nominations – 2024 Promoting Excellence Awards

NACC presents the Promoting Excellence Awards annually to individuals and institutions making significant contributions to the rights and well-being of children and families through high-quality legal representation.?NACC invites nominations for individual attorneys, organizations, and law students who demonstrate excellence in their advocacy efforts for children and families.

In March, NACC’s Executive Director Kim Dvorchak:

• Presented on Pro Bono for Children’s Rights?with Angela Vigil, Baker McKenzie and Chris Tirrell, Google at the?Pro Bono Institute Conference?in Washington, DC.
• Served as a supreme court judge for final round of the?National Moot Court Competition in Child Welfare and Adoption Law in Columbus, OH.
• Presented on Emerging Trends for Emerging Adults?with Felipe Franco, Annie E Casey Foundation and Derrell Frazier, REFORM Alliance (see photo) at the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Juvenile Justice Conference in Cleveland, OH.
• Joined child welfare and transportation leaders on Hop Skip Drive’s
• Presented on with Sneha Barve, ABA Center on Children and the Law, and John Pollock, National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel in a briefing?for the

NACC's Allison Green in the New York Times

quoted NACC Legal Director Allison Green?on the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children in a piece on the intersection of family separation, interstate practices, and the politiciziation of immigration policy.

“Applying the compact to parents who simply live out of state, when there is no finding or even allegation of wrongdoing, is unconstitutional and harmful to children,” said Green.

The Role of Foster/Resource Parents in Dependency Hearings

April 16, 10:30am - 12:00 noon MT

Licensed non-relative family placements are crucial for the well-being of children in dependency cases and are integral to achieving permanency for families. In this webinar, we will delve into:

• Assessment of foster parent support for established case permanency goals;
• Effective strategies for court presentation and consideration of foster parent involvement in achieving permanency; and
• Advocacy surrounding the varying levels of foster parent involvement in dependency proceedings.

Presenter

Shannon Felder, JD, CWLS, NACC Training Director

Spring Online Red Book Training Course

April 16 through June 4

Tuesdays from 3:00 – 4:30pm MT

The Red Book Training Course is an exciting opportunity for practitioners to brush up on their knowledge of federal child welfare law and learn tips to enhance their representation of children, parents, or the agency. NACC’s signature Red Book Training Course covers major dependency practice competency areas and is designed to assist you in preparing for the Child Welfare Law Specialist examination. The 2024 course will include material based on the Fourth Edition of Child Welfare Law and Practice: Representing Children, Parents, and Agencies in Neglect, Abuse, and Dependency Cases. During weekly webinars, the presenter will assist participants in breaking the material down, focusing on important concepts, and learning CWLS exam-taking strategies.?

Careers in Child Welfare Law: HBCU Edition

April 19 at Noon MT

To support the pipeline of diverse students into child law careers, NACC is excited to host Careers in Child Welfare Law: HBCU Edition. All students in law school or interested in attending law school are welcome to join us as we highlight legal careers in criminal defense of minors, legal representation in child welfare proceedings (parent, child, state, or department), and/or policy advocacy.?

?to learn more about NACC Student Engagement.?

Compassionate Advocacy: Integrating Trauma-Informed Practices for an Enhanced Legal Practice

May 21, 12:00 - 1:30pm MT

Learning Objectives:

• Explore the foundational principles of trauma-informed care and their relevance in legal settings, including the identification of trauma indicators and understanding the impact of trauma on clients.
• Learn actionable techniques for integrating trauma-informed practices into daily legal routines, such as providing hydration, snacks, and sensory tools to mitigate stress and promote client comfort during proceedings.
• Examine the broader implications of trauma-informed approaches on client engagement, communication, and overall well-being within legal environments, fostering a culture of empathy, trust, and support.

Presenter

Josephine C. Vanderhorst, MFP, JD, CWLS, NACC Senior Staff Attorney

Three State Legislatures Consider Client Directed Model of Representation

Iowa ?requires the appointment of legal counsel for children ten and older and a GAL attorney for children under ten. The bill saw two proposed amendments in March. The first would require the appointment of counsel and a GAL to youth under ten. The second would permit the same person to serve as GAL and counsel for a child under ten unless they could not adequately provide representation for both roles.

Kansas ?would require the district court to appoint an attorney as the representative for a child in Child in Need of Care proceedings and allow for the optional appointment of a GAL. The attorney is required to take direction from the child as the child develops capacity to direct, and determine what the child would decide if they are not capable of making an adequately considered decision. The bill stalled after Judiciary committee considered it on March 7.

Missouri ?would require the court to appoint client-directed legal counsel for children involved in proceedings involving abuse or neglect. Counsel would represent the child at all stages of the proceeding, including appeal. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted to pass on the bill on February 28. The Senate will now review the bill to determine if it can be declared perfected.

NACC Advocates at the Federal Level

NACC signed on to extend the deadline for the ?and .

Amicus Update

NACC joined an ?regarding the rights for non-respondent parents in New York child welfare cases.

Early Registration is Open!

We hope you'll

Enhance your practice, connect with fellow advocates, and take your advocacy to the next level. NACC offers an onsite conference in Salt Lake City in August, and a virtual conference online in September. Onsite/dual registration includes access to the online conference, which will have its own program. Check out the ?now.

Onsite Conference

Salt Lake City, Utah

August 12-14?

Pre-conference and Career Fair August 11

Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City

Virtual Conference

Online – from the comfort of your home

September 11-13

Additional Onsite Preconference Events

Registration is also open for our preconference sessions:

8/11/2024

9:00am – 4:30pm

8/11/2024

10:00am – 4:30pm

Second Annual Child Welfare Law Career Fair

8/11/2024

2:00pm – 5:00pm

The Career Fair promotes positions in child welfare law offices and agencies for law students, recent grads, and persons with lived experience in foster care.

Room Block is Open - Lock in a fantastic room rate at the Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City!

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$199/night for single or double, and this .

Book your Flights

Fly to Salt Lake City on ?and get a small discount when you use the meeting event code NY39G.

Come early or stay after and enjoy Utah!

?We're thrilled to be in Utah this summer!?We hope you'll join us and see all the Beehive state has to offer - hiking, national parks, and the home of the 2034 Olympics!

NACC State Coordinators in the News

Indiana State Coordinator Nicole Goodson?featured in ?discussing pending legislation that could affect children and families in Indiana.

New Hampshire State Coordinator Lisa Wolford?penned?in New Hampshire Bar News (page 29).

ABC News?quoted Ohio State Coordinator Kim Jordan?in?about the juvenile legal system, mental illness, and the intersection with the child welfare system.

Virginia State Coordinator Valerie L’Herrou?appeared in the WY Daily piece in January.

Updated Resource on Federal Indian Law

A new edition of , by Stephen L. Pevar, is now available.

Job Opportunities

, Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada

Are you ready to enhance your practice? Become a certified

Get your copy of the Red Book

NACC is proud to publish??also known as “the Red Book”.

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The fourth edition includes new topics and contributors:??

• Case details: from investigation to appeals?
• Focus on racial and LGBTQ+ justice?
• Focus on dual-status youth and parents/children with disabilities?
• Systemic, preventive, and multidisciplinary advocacy?
• And much more!?

New Children's Law Office Guidebook - 2nd Edition!

NACC published the latest edition of the .?Edited by former NACC Training Director?Kristen Pisani-Jacques, JD, CWLS, the Guidebook includes contributions from 55 law office leaders and senior staff and demonstrates the growth and development of the field.?This is an essential resource for law office leaders!

Check out NACC’s Resource Center! Filter by topic area, resource type, and view NACC’s Information Hubs:??

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National and State Listservs: Join the conversation with child welfare practitioners across the country by joining the NACC listserv. Ask your peers questions about cases, policy, and share success stories and challenges.

NACC's listserv has undergone new security measures, and you may have received an email asking you to reverify your email address.?If you have not done so yet, please review the email and complete the steps to reverify/rejoin the listserv.?

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Publications and Journals:??

• Prior issues of our quarterly law journal,
• Prior issues of this newsletter, ?

Training, Webinars, and Practical Skills: ??

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Join the conversation on social media!?

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