The leadership and staff of NCJFCJ share the nation’s heartbreak resulting from the devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. With uncounted lives lost, homes destroyed, families displaced, and everyday life disrupted for the foreseeable future in the affected areas, NCJFCJ is seeking ways that we as an organization can help those individuals, courts and agencies impacted by this disaster.
 
Many NCJFCJ members are located in the disaster area, and many more will be impacted in their own communities and in their roles within the juvenile and family court system as children and families are relocated. One of the most frustrating obstacles is the difficulty in communication. Over the past several weeks, the NCJFCJ has received messages from members and colleagues around the nation offering assistance in a variety of ways, and we have established this clearinghouse of information to help those in need.

In order to help facilitate communication, we have established a forum to enable our members and colleagues to post information pertaining to both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Please click here to register and join the forum. Because federal law requires that forum participants be over 18 years of age, you will be asked to verify your age during the registration process. Please be aware that any information posted in this forum is available to anyone with Internet access, so privacy cannot be assured.

We welcome suggestions for links to sites or organizations that can provide information or other assistance to those recovering from these natural disasters. We also invite news regarding the safety and well-being of our members.

Following are a variety of categories with links to information, assistance, and other resources associated with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

• Housing Assistance Offered by NCJFCJ Members
• Mental Health Resources for Judges and other Professionals Handling Relocated Children in Foster Care

Below are links to other related organizations and their hurricane relief efforts. Visit this page often for additional information on efforts underway by NCJFCJ and national partners.

• Child Welfare League of America Katrina Relief Information and Resources Page
• National CASA Association
• American Probation and Parole Association
• ABA Center on Children and the Law
• American Public Human Services Association

We will continue to add information to this site as it becomes available. Please contact us at staff@ncjfcj.org if you have any questions or suggestions on how to better serve the needs of those impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.