Adoption Organizations that provide information on child welfare legal issues
ABA Center on Children and the Law
740 15th St NW
Washington, DC 20005-1022
The ABA Center on Children and the Law seeks to improve the laws, policies, and judicial procedures affecting children by supporting legal representation for youth, facilitating coordination between attorneys and caseworkers, reducing court delays, and providing training to court professionals involved in child welfare.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
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American Academy of Adoption Attorneys (AAAA)
P.O. Box 33053
Washington, DC 20033
The American Academy of Adoption Attorneys (AAAA) is a national membership association of attorneys who practice, or have otherwise distinguished themselves, in the field of adoption law. AAAA works to promote the reform of adoption laws and to disseminate information on ethical adoption practices. Their Membership Directory, including members from the U. S. and Canada, lists attorneys who are well versed in the complexities of adoption law as well as interstate and international regulations regarding adoption.
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American Adoption Congress (AAC)
P.O. Box 42730
Washington, DC 20015
The American Adoption Congress (AAC) is an international network of individuals and organizations committed to honesty and openness in adoption and to reforms that protect all of those involved from abuse or exploitation. Membership is open to adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, professionals, and all others who share a commitment to the AAC's goals.
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American Bar Association (ABA)
740 15th Street NW
Washington, DC 20005-1019
General Scope: The ABA provides law school accreditation, continuing legal education, information about the law, programs to assist lawyers and judges in their work, and initiatives to improve the legal system for the public. ABA publications include a "Consumer's Guide to Legal Help," with lawyer and pro bono attorney locator services.
Training Specific: A portion of the ABA website is dedicated to Education Resources, including continuing legal education and educating the public. For more information, see http://www.abanet.org/education.html.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
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American Bar Association Family Law Section
Family Law Section
750 North Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60611
The American Bar Association Family Law Section was organized to improve the administration of justice in the field of family law. Areas such as divorce, custody, adoption, alimony, and support are within the scope of the Family Law Section, as are emerging issues such as third party parental rights, marital torts, Federal and interstate legislation, mediation, and the complicated questions of paternity, perinatal drug addiction, bankruptcy to deprive divorcing spouses of property, and genetic engineering. The Web site has a special section devoted to "General Public Resources," including frequently asked questions and "how to find an attorney."
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American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI)
99 Canal Center Plaza
Suite 510
Alexandria, VA 22314
General Scope: American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI) is the research, training, and technical assistance affiliate of the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA). The Institute, a nonprofit research and program development resource for prosecutors at all levels of government, is committed to providing interdisciplinary responses to complex problems of criminal justice. Child abuse, abduction, and exploitation are among APRI's major focuses, as is juvenile justice.
An APRI program, the National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse (NCPCA), is a resource for expert legal assistance, training, court reform, and up-to-date information on criminal child abuse investigations and prosecutions.
Training Specific: APRI offers training for state and local prosecutors covering a wide variety of topics. Information is available at http://www.ndaa-apri.org/education/apri_index.html.
APRI has entered into a relationship with Winona State University (WSU) to create the National Child Protection Training Center (NCPTC). The purpose of the NCPTC is to develop a model curriculum to prepare future child protection workers, law enforcement officers, and other child-serving professionals. APRI is developing a program to provide ongoing training, technical assistance and publications to child protection attorneys and workers who are already in the field. NCPTC will focus on the civil issues of child protection. For more information, see the NCPTC website at http://www.ndaa-apri.org/programs/ncptc_home.html.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- National Center For Prosecution of Child Abuse - http://www.ndaa-apri.org/apri/programs/ncpca/ncpca_home.html
The National District Attorneys Association NDAA)established the National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse (NCPCA) as a program of the American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI). Aimed at responding to an increasing volume of reported child abuse, the NCPCA serves as a central resource for training, expert legal assistance, court reform and state-of-the-art information on criminal child abuse investigations and prosecutions.
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Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC)
American Public Human Services Association
810 First Street NE
Suite 500
Washington, DC 20002-4267
The Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children is a uniform State law establishing a contract among party States to ensure that children placed across state lines receive adequate protection and services. The primary function of the ICPC is to protect the interests of both the children and the States by requiring that certain procedures be followed in the interstate placement of children who are being adopted, placed with relatives, or going into residential care or foster family homes.
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Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance (AAICAMA)
American Public Human Services Association
810 First Street NE
Suite 500
Washington, DC 20002-4267
The Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance facilitates the administration of the ICAMA. The Compact is the legal mechanism by which member States regulate and coordinate the interstate delivery of services to children with special needs who are adopted pursuant to adoption assistance agreements. Along with advocating State participation in the ICAMA, the Association provides technical and legal assistance, education and training, and materials on practice and policy issues.
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Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
1015 15th Street, NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20005
The Center for Law and Social Policy's work is concentrated on family policy and access to civil legal assistance for low-income families. Family policy projects include welfare reform, child welfare, and couples and marriage.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- Child Welfare - http://www.clasp.org/publications.php?id=5#0
CLASP focuses on ways the child welfare and TANF fields can work collaboratively to help families and works to ensure a comprehensive range of services that low-income children and their parents need.
- Couples and Marriage - http://www.clasp.org/publications.php?id=6
CLASP focuses on a "Marriage-Plus" perspective, which has two main goals centered on the well-being of children: (1) to help more children grow up with their two biological, married parents whose relationship is healthy; (2) when this isn’t possible, to help parents--whether unmarried, cohabiting, separated, divorced, or remarried--cooperate better in raising their children.
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Child Welfare Information Gateway
Children's Bureau/ACYF
1250 Maryland Avenue, SW -- Eighth Floor
Washington, DC 20024
Child Welfare Information Gateway connects professionals and the general public to information and resources targeted to the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families.
A service of the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Child Welfare Information Gateway provides access to programs, research, laws and policies, training resources, statistics, and much more.
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Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse (JJ)
P.O. Box 6000
Rockville, MD 20849-6000
The Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse (JJ) was established by the Federal Government's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) as a resource for people interested in juvenile justice, delinquency issues, and the OJJDP. JJ provides assistance with information on specific juvenile justice and delinquency prevention issues and help with ordering publications, requesting materials and information on conferences, and obtaining information on grants and funding opportunities.
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Lambda Legal
National Headquarters
120 Wall Street
Suite 1500
New York, NY 10005-3904
Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, and people with HIV/AIDS through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. Adoption-related publications are available.
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Legal Advocates for Permanent Parenting (LAPP)
1840 Gateway Drive
Suite 200
San Mateo, CA 94404
The Legal Advocates for Permanent Parenting (LAPP) provides self-help legal information, training, referrals, and consulting on issues of interest to foster parents, kinship caregivers, and pre-adoptive families of children in foster care.
In addition, LAPP works to improve communication between child welfare workers, CASAs, attorneys, and the courts and to educate the general public about the fostering and adoptive process, with the goal of encouraging permanence for children in the public child welfare system.
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National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC)
1825 Marion Street
Suite 242
Denver, CO 80218
The National Association of Counsel for Children works to improve the legal protection and representation of children by training and educating child advocates and by effecting policy and legal systems change. The NACC sponsors conferences and seminars on important issues confronting child advocates and files amicus curiae briefs in selected court cases affecting children. The Association also has a legislative agenda, a national child advocate awards program, and a speakers bureau.
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National Center for Adoption Law and Policy (NCALP)
Capital University Law School
303 East Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43215
The mission of the National Center for Adoption Law and Policy, at Capital University Law School, is to improve the law, policies, and practices associated with child protection and adoption systems.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- The Adoption LawSite Project - http://www.adoptionlawsite.org/main_cur.asp
The goal of the LawSite is to deliver a single online resource where perspective adoptive parents, biological parents, adoption and child welfare lawyers, juvenile and family court judges, and child advocates of all kinds can turn to for child welfare and adoption law information.
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National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse (NCPCA)
American Prosecutors Research Institute
99 Canal Center Plaza
Suite 510
Alexandria, VA 22314
The National Center for the Prosecution of Child Abuse is a program of the American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI). The Center is a central resource for training, expert legal assistance, court reform efforts, and state-of-the art information on criminal child abuse investigations and prosecutions. The NCPCA promotes the prosecution and conviction of child abusers by offering information, training, technical assistance, and referral services to prosecutors involved in child abuse litigation. The Center also compiles State criminal statutes in selected topic areas.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
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National Center for State Courts (NCSC)
300 Newport Avenue
Williamsburg, VA 23185
The National Center for State Courts is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to the improvement of the justice system. NCSC accomplishes its mission by providing leadership and service to State courts, helping them improve the administration of justice and better serve the public. Leadership activities include developing policies to enhance State courts, advancing the interests of State courts within the Federal Government, fostering State court adaptation to future changes, securing sufficient resources for State courts, strengthening State court leadership, facilitating State court collaboration, and providing a model for organizational administration.
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National Center for Youth Law (NCYL)
405 14th Street
15th floor
Oakland, CA 94612-2701
The National Center for Youth Law is a private, nonprofit law office offering assistance to attorneys and organizations seeking legal remedies to protect children from the harms of poverty. The Center works to protect abused and neglected children, expand health care for children and youth, secure public benefits to meet their special needs, and improve child support collection. The Center produces the annual Foster Care Reform Litigation Docket.
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National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues
740 15th Street NW
9th Floor
Washington, DC 20005-1009
General Scope: The National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues (RCLJI), a service of the Children's Bureau, provides expertise to State and Tribal agencies and courts on legal and judicial aspects of child welfare. The Resource Center is dedicated to achieving safety, permanence and well-being for abused and neglected children through improved laws and judicial decision-making. Areas of focus include: permanency decision-making, adherence to ASFA and other federal laws, the court's role in the CFSR and child welfare reform, high quality legal representation for all parties, judicial and attorney workloads, quality assurance for courts and legal offices, effective forensic performance by agencies, the impact of ASFA on youth in the juvenile justice system, education needs of children in foster care, legal ethics, and the interplay of domestic violence and child welfare.
Training Specific: The Center offers training to meet needs indentified in the PIPs such as improving the timeliness of judicial decision-making and ASFA nuts and bolts implementation for judges.
In addition, the Center has workshops that may be helpful to States and Tribes in the CFSR process, including:
- Best Practices to Implement ASFA: Creative Strategies for Permanence
- Making it Permanent: Efforts to Finalize Permanency Plans for Children in Foster Care
- Meeting Educational Needs of Children in Foster Care.
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National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
7700 East First Place
Denver, CO 80230
The National Conference of State Legislatures promotes information sharing by tracking legislation and policy issues in State legislatures and the effect of Federal initiatives on the States. The NCSL offers information, publications, conferences, consulting services, and professional development seminars. The NCSL also advocates for the States by lobbying, testifying, and collaborating on Capitol Hill.
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National Council For Adoption (NCFA)
225 North Washington Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-2561
The National Council For Adoption promotes the well-being of children, birthparents, and adoptive families by informing policy leaders, the media, social service providers, and the public about the positive option of adoption. The Council is a charitable membership organization with a variety or functions: a think tank for adoption awareness and information, a provider of public information and education, and an advocate for adoption.
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National Council of Birthmothers (NCOB)
P.O. Box 99769
Seattle, WA 98199-0769
The National Council of Birthmothers supports the rights and interests of birth mothers in adoption issues, especially those involving the rights of adult adopted persons. The Council asserts that it is the right of all people to have an unaltered official birth record, regardless of adoption status.
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National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ)
P.O. Box 8970
Reno, NV 89507
The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges is dedicated to improving the court system's handling of juvenile and family matters through applied research, technical assistance, and continuing education of judges and juvenile justice professionals on family violence, child abuse and neglect, and child protection and custody.
With funding from the Packard Foundation and the U. S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, the NCJFCJ's "Greenbook Initiative" (Effective Intervention in Domestic Violence and Child Maltreatment Cases: Guidelines for Policy and Practice) includes recommendations to help child welfare and domestic violence agencies and family courts work together more effectively to help families experiencing violence. Many sites around the country have used it to improve their policies and practices.
The "Greenbook" (http://www.thegreenbook.info) has generated a federal initiative - a joint project of the United States Departments of Justice and Health & Human Services. It is designed to improve the quality of services provided by local jurisdictions to families threatened both by domestic violence and child abuse or maltreatment. The NCJFCJ coordinates support and technical assistance to each of the six counties that are part of the federal Greenbook intiative.
Major Program(s)/Initiatives(s):
- Permanency Planning for Children Dept. - http://www.ncjfcj.org/content/blogcategory/131/169/
The mission of the Permanency Planning for Children Department is 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.
- Family Violence Department - http://www.ncjfcj.org/content/view/20/94/
The Family Violence Department of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (FVD) is dedicated to improving the way courts, law enforcement, agencies and others respond to family violence while recognizing the legal, cultural, and psychological dynamics involved with the ultimate goal of improving the lives of domestic violence victims and their children.
- The Greenbook Initiative - http://www.thegreenbook.info
This Initiative provides recommendations designed to help dependency courts and child welfare and domestic violence agencies better serve families experiencing violence and to help them achieve safety. The Initiative has spawned activities in States and localities across the country, as well as a Federal initiative spearheaded by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U. S. Department of Justice.
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National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association (National CASA)
100 West Harrison Street
North Tower, Suite 500
Seattle, WA 98119
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