NCALP Weekly News Summary

February 18, 2014

If you are unable to access the links on this page click here. Follow us: 2014 Wells Conference The National Center for Adoption Law and Policy, in collaboration with Capital University Law Review, is pleased to sponsor the 10th Annual Wells Conference on Adoption Law: We Are Not All The Same: Meeting Children's Individual Needs . Each year the Wells Conference attracts professionals and academics who are pioneers and innovators in the fields of child welfare and adoption law. Date: March 6, 2014 Time: 8:45 am - 4:30 pm Capital University Law School 303 East Broad Street Columbus Ohio   43215 TO REGISTER and for more information, click here.   CHILD WELFARE NATIONAL: “Federal Advisory Committee Examines Juvenile Courts and Justice System Programs for American Indian Children Exposed to Violence” BY: Office of Public Affairs During the second public hearing of the Advisory Committee of the Attorney General’s Task Force on American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence, testimony was heard by more than 30 tribal leaders, juvenile court judges, child advocates, juvenile justice system experts, and community members. A variety of issues facing Native children in juvenile justice systems were discussed including availability of legal representation, screening and treatment for trauma, transfer of juvenile cases to adult courts, culturally sensitive programs, and services that divert youth from entering the juvenile justice system. U.S. Department of Justice February 11th, 2014 For Full Article Click Here   CHILD WELFARE NEW MEXICO: “Federal Lawsuit Targets CYFD, Alleges Civil Rights Violations” BY: Associated Press New Mexico’s child welfare agency is currently the target of a federal lawsuit alleging civil rights violations after a custody battle allegedly resulted in a young girl being emotionally and physically abused at the hands of strangers. According to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque, a senior investigator with the state agency called police to remove the child from her father’s vehicle and return her to her mother despite an earlier court order that established the father’s custody and dismissed a temporary restraining order against him. The girl was later found with strangers in a mobile home and her mother’s whereabouts were unknown. Santa Fe New Mexican, February 10th, 2014 For Full Article Click Here   ADOPTION MASSACHUSETTES: “Harvard and BC Professors Support Adoption Legislation” BY: Tyler S. Olkowski Nearly 60 faculty members from Harvard and Boston College have written a letter encouraging Congress to pass the Children in Families First Act, which aims to reform the adoption system in the United States. The act seeks to streamline the adoption process and place children with families faster, highlighting the fundamental human right of every child to a permanent family in the language of the bill. Elizabeth Bartholet ’62, a professor of public interest law at Harvard Law School, and Paulo Barrozo, an assistant professor of law at Boston College, each contributed advice and recommendation during the initial drafting of the bill. The Harvard Crimson, February 10th, 2014 For Full Article Click Here   FOSTER CARE FLORIDA: “Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Allow Foster Kids to Get Driver Licenses” BY: Bill Rufty Most children in the foster care system have no way to pay for a driver license, car insurance, or a car. In addition, the state is liable for these children which make it very difficult for them to drive like others their age. Recently, “The Keys to Independence Act”, has been filed to help foster children more easily obtain a driver license and maintain some type of teenage normalcy. The bill would create a three-year pilot program and general revenue money would be used to pay for driver education, a license, and car insurance until the children age out of the system at age 18. Once driver education is completed, the foster child could obtain a court order allowing them to contract for automobile insurance under their own name. The Ledger, February 12th, 2014 For Full Article Click Here   CHILD WELFARE/Foster Care WISCONSIN: “Assembly Votes to limit Custody Transfers” BY: Patrick Marley A bill aimed at limiting the ability of people to transfer custody of children they no longer want seeks recently passed in the Wisconsin Assembly, after an investigation uncovered parents of adopted children setting up custody transfers through Yahoo and Facebook forums. The bill would make it a misdemeanor to bring a child into, or send a child out of, Wisconsin for transferring custody to a non-relative that does not comply with an interstate compact on child placements. The maximum penalty would be a $10,000 fine and nine months in jail. In addition, the bill would expand a prohibition against advertising adoption and other types of permanent custody transfers of children through email and internet posts. The Journal Sentinel, February 13th, 2014 For Full Article Click Here    The preceding are summaries of adoption/child welfare law news articles prepared by The National Center for Adoption Law & Policy. These summaries are provided for your information only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Center. We strive to print news that reflects the diversity of our readership and a variety of viewpoints and approaches to child welfare issues. While we may not agree with a position taken, we believe in the critical importance to our constituents of impartial reporting.