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Publications

04/26/21
Technical Assistance Bulletin
Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Courts: A Tool for Improving Outc…

The St. Louis County Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Court in Duluth, Minnesota, currently led by Judge Sally Tarnowski, is a dedicated docket of child welfare hearings involving Indian children as confirmed or presumed by…

02/25/21
Technical Assistance Bulletin
The Indian Child Welfare Act and Active Efforts: Past and Present

Congress passed the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in 1978 to address the widespread practice of state entities removing American Indian and Alaskan Native children from their homes and families. Congress found “an alarmingly high…

09/21/20
Publication
Enhanced Resource Guidelines: Child Welfare Workers' Companion Gu…

This Child Welfare Caseworkers’ Companion Guide to the NCJFCJ’s ENHANCED RESOURCE GUIDELINES has been developed with the goal of improving caseworker hearing practice in child abuse and neglect cases generally, but also with a focus on improving…

08/11/20
Annual Report
Reflection & Redefinition: Annual Report 2019

The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges’ (NCJFCJ) 2019 Annual Report, Reflection & Redefinition, looks back at the extraordinary achievements of the NCJFCJ in 2019. The members of the NCJFCJ are the driving…

10/17/19
Technical Assistance Bulletin
Implementation Sites Project

Through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) funding, the Implementation Sites Project was developed to replicate the infrastructure pioneered by the NCJFCJ Model Courts Project. Designated sites have committed to develop and…

06/21/19
Publication
Assessing Trauma for Juvenile and Family Court Judges: From Devel…

Due to increased requests for assistance from courts and allied systems seeking to become more trauma-informed, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) developed a court trauma consultation protocol in 2013. Although…

06/20/19
Technical Assistance Bulletin
The Role of the Court in Implementing the Family First Prevention…

The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) of 2018 provides States and Tribes opportunities to use federal funding to support children and families and prevent foster care placements. The Act focuses on family engagement and…

06/12/19
Publication
Engaging Parents in Child Abuse and Neglect Hearings: Lessons Lea…

The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) recommends that the court should do all that it can to encourage and support the meaningful engagement of children, youth, and families in the child…

03/16/19
Policy Statement
Resolution in Support Reauthorization of the Violence Against Wom…

WHEREAS, the NCJFCJ recognizes that issues of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking occur at any age; and WHEREAS, the NCJFCJ has joined in public and private partnerships to address and improve the…

03/07/19
Publication
Custody Mediation and Domestic Violence: A Resource Guide for Med…

Mediation is widely used in the area of family law, where custody mediation is often mandated by statute or ordered by the court. According to statistics collected by the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence…

03/07/19
Technical Assistance Bulletin
How to Navigate Custody Mediation in Cases Involving Domestic Vio…

If you are a domestic violence survivor and have been ordered or referred to mediation for your custody case, this guide can provide you with some basic information. A lawyer who understands domestic violence and…

01/24/19
Publication
Can I or Can't I? Extra-judicial Activity and Judicial Leadership

Being a judge doesn’t end when the docket does. Experienced judges understand their duties include much more than overseeing a courtroom. A significant part of a judicial officer’s duties also includes leadership in the community,…