Message from Mary Mentaberry --

11/24/09 – This fall has been a beautiful and very busy season for all of us at NCJFCJ. I’ve been fortunate to have been able to participate in several noteworthy events in Washington, DC, Detroit and Reno, and am happy to share with you a few of the highlights:

Violence Against Women Act -- 15th Anniversary Reception
September 29, 2009; Washington, DC
I was honored to be able to attend a reception to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), held at the home of Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden in Washington, DC. Along with the Vice President, his wife and their granddaughters, Attorney General Eric Holder, NCJFCJ Board Member Judge Lee Satterfield, and many other dignitaries attended as well. Vice President Biden’s moving presentation to the group demonstrated his passion for this issue and his commitment to continuing the work. When we met, Mr. Biden indicated that he had worked in Family Court early in his career and that Family Court judges do “God’s work.” His knowledge and respect for our work was evident. This work is clearly recognized as key to changing practice on behalf of battered women and their children.

Challenging Times -- New Opportunities
Nov. 4-6, 2009; Detroit, MI
I joined Michael Paraino, CEO of the National CASA Association, at the Independent Sector Conference, Nov. 4-6, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan.  The Conference brought together charitable and philanthropic organizations for three days of productive and valuable presentations and discussions, providing strategies for securing ever-shrinking financial support from the philanthropic community. Sessions focused on the responsibilities of non-profits in accounting for funding, staffing their organizations, and ensuring diversity in the workplace, among other topics. This opportunity to meet leaders of both the foundation and non-profit world as well as to discuss responsibilities of the independent sector and government provided an excellent opportunity for outreach on behalf of NCJFCJ.

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Regional Training Conference
November 5-7, 2009; Reno, NV
The NCJFCJ and AFCC have enjoyed a productive and cordial collaborative relationship for a number of years on issues related to at-risk children and families, and we were very happy that AFCC chose Reno as the site for their regional training in November entitled “Interventions for Family Conflict: Stacking the Odds in Favor of Children.” I spoke to the approximately 250 attendees on Saturday morning, Nov. 7, about the Council as well as the many efforts the NCJFCJ and AFCC have partnered on, which have included:

• Child Welfare Think Tanks, which focused on supporting development of decision-making and conflict resolution to promote safety, permanency and well-being of children
• Wingspread Conference on Domestic Violence & Family Courts held in February 2007
• Co-authoring NCJFCJ’s “Navigating Custody & Visitation Evaluations in Cases with Domestic Violence: A Judges’ Guide,” published in 2004.

OJJDP at 35
Nov. 10, 2009; Washington, DC
I attended the “OJJDP at 35” forum to discuss the past, present and future of OJJDP. The forum, organized by Youth Today, featured presentations by most of the former OJJDP Administrators since its inception 35 years ago. Juvenile justice professionals in attendance participated in lively discussion regarding the history of the agency and the field’s hopes for the future of OJJDP.

20th Century Club
Nov. 12, 2009; Reno, NV
I was happy to meet with a number of local civic leaders to let them know about the important work of the NCJFCJ locally as well as nationally. Invited as a part of NCJFCJ’s outreach to the local community, Elizabeth Whitney-Barnes of the Council’s Permanency Planning for Children Department, and I described the work of the NCJFCJ to over 100 community members.

The William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence
November 19, 2009; Washington, DC
I had the honor of attending the National Center for State Courts’ William H. Rehnquist Award dinner at the U.S. Supreme Court along with NCJFCJ President Judge Douglas Johnson from Omaha, NE., former NCJFCJ President Judge Dale Koch of Portland, OR, and NCJFCJ Vice-President Judge Patricia Martin of Chicago. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois introduced the honoree and Chief Justice John Roberts awarded the William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence to Judge Timothy C. Evans, Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois. Judge Evans helped to host NCJFCJ’s 72nd Annual Conference held in Chicago last July.

Best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving!