Permanency Planning for Children Department

"To provide an environment for change by supporting and facilitating dependency court teams and by providing education and technical assistance to enable courts nationwide to meet their goals to improve practice in child abuse and neglect cases."

Every day, judges are faced with difficult decisions affecting abused and neglected children in our country. With approximately 517,000 abused and neglected children in foster care in the United States, judges and court personnel are continually challenged to find the best solutions for children and families.

The NCJFCJ Permanency Planning for Children Department (PPCD) plays an essential role in working with judges to ensure that each child's case is handled expeditiously and that safety, permanency, and well-being are paramount. Through national projects and initiatives, training, technical assistance, and research, the PPCD works with judges, jurisdictions and communities nationwide to implement best practices and improve outcomes for the nation's abused and neglected children and their families.

For more information on the various divisions and work of the PPCD please click on the following links: Victims Act Model Courts Project , Training and Technical Assistance Division, and Research

 NEW INITIATIVES AND PUBLICATIONS

This year, a number of national organizations are working together to organize the first National Reunification Day on June 19, 2010.  The goal of National Reunification Day is to celebrate families and communities coming together and to raise awareness about the importance of family reunification to children in foster care.  While June 19, 2010 is the official day, a number of jurisdictions are celebrating on different days and weeks. The important part of this initiative is to celebrate successful reunifications whenever it works for you. 

Organizations working together with the NCJFCJ on the National Reunification Day initiative include: the ABA National Project to Improve Representation for Parents Involved in the Child Welfare System, the ABA Center on Children and the Law, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Casey Family Programs, the National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC), and the National Foster Care Coalition. Please click HERE for more information.

Coming Soon!!  Designing Effective Training Evaluations: An Implementation Guide and Toolbox for Dependency Court Systems. Click HERE to read the Fact Sheet.
 

Technical Assistance Brief, Court Reform and American Indian and Alaskan Native Children: Increasing Protections and Improving Outcomes  (August 2009). Click HERE to download the publication.

Courts Catalyzing Change Newsletter, Issue 1 

Courts Catalyzing Change Newsletter, Issue 2

The Model Court Effect: Proven Strategies in Systems' Change  (July 2009).  Click HERE to download the publication. 

Courts Catalyzing Change: Achieving Equity and Fairness in Foster Care initiative. Please click HERE for webpage.

Judicial Responsibility in a Budget Crisis Environment Policy Statement. Please click HERE to download the statement.

 Technical Assistance Bulletin: Ensuring the Unique Needs of Dependency Courts are Met in Disaster Planning Efforts: Dependency Court Planning Templates for Continuity of Operations Plans  (December 2008). Click HERE to download the publication.

Additional new collaborations, projects, and information can be found under the What's New at PPCD section. 

National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day is May 6, 2010! 
Click HERE to download the PowerPoint from SAMHSA for more information on participating organizations, activities, and how you can get involved.