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During its 10th anniversary celebration Oct. 17, the National Center for Adoption Law & Policy at Capital University Law School honored the Supreme Court of Ohio as one of its champions.
From abuse and neglect issues to improving legal representation for children and families, the Supreme Court and the adoption center have collaborated for more than a decade.
The adoption center participated in the work of a Court subcommittee that led to piloting an approach that better focuses Ohio child welfare law on the needs of Ohio’s children. Ten counties are currently implementing this “alternative response” case management structure. With the help of the adoption center, a legal representation subcommittee is identifying strategies to increase the availability of quality legal representation for the children, families and child-serving agencies that come before Ohio’s courts.
“The Center commends the Supreme Court for its dedication to excellence in child protection practice and policy and for its commitment to providing continuing programming that both responds to current needs and paves the way for additional opportunities for innovative, collaborative practice,” said Denise St. Clair, adoption center executive director. “Programs such as the ‘Beyond the Numbers’ multidisciplinary training initiative and the Ohio Summit on Children are models of the type of collaboration among courts and agencies that serves to enhance the safety and well-being of Ohio children. When we speak to our national partners, we are proud to highlight the excellent work taking place in our own state.”
The “Beyond the Numbers” project, guided by a committee of judges and magistrates, brings together judges and court staff; child welfare agency directors and staff; prosecutors, defense bar members and others, to systemically achieve improved outcomes for each child and family that comes before the court. The project kicked off with a statewide judicial symposium in May 2004 and has since conducted a number of regional meetings in judicial districts throughout the state.
The May 2008 Ohio Summit on Children brought together five-member county teams led by juvenile court judges and directors of county children services or job and family services agencies to develop plans to improve services for children. The groups were charged with assessing local and state strengths and challenges and identifying service gaps with the goals of enhancing the safety, well-being and permanent home environments of Ohio children.
Friday’s celebration also recognized Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton for her long-time support of and commitment to children and family issues – including adoption law reform and mental health court initiatives – and her dedication to excellence in child and family court practice. Justice Stratton, along with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, was instrumental in the center’s creation.
“The State of Ohio is fortunate to have a national resource of this caliber in its own back yard,” said Steve Hanson, manager of Children, Families and the Courts Programs for the Supreme Court, who accepted the Court’s award. “The adoption center’s research, advocacy and education activities help improve Ohio’s foster care and adoption process and, therefore, help protect Ohio’s children and strengthen Ohio’s families.”
Contact: Chris Davey or Bret Crow at 614.387.9250.