Press Releases
New Report Reveals Ongoing Safety Concerns in Michigan’s Child Welfare System, Advocates Call on Gov. Whitmer to Improve Conditions
“We find ourselves nearly 15 years into this endeavor to reform Michigan’s foster care system and make it safer for kids. While positive strides have been made, too many children continue to be at risk in the state. It is deeply disturbing that Michigan still has not met its commitment to assure children’s safety in its care.
December 17, 2021Advocacy Organizations File Amicus Briefs Urging Federal Appeals Court to Overturn Ohio District Court Ruling, Provide Federally Required Payments for Relative Foster Parents
Contact: Camilla Jenkins, cjenkins@childrensrights.org, 917-971-1784 (Cincinnati, OH) – A number of national and Ohio-based advocacy organizations have filed Amicus Briefs in support of plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit, H.C. v. DeWine. The lawyers for the plaintiff foster children and their relative foster parents, Richard F. Dawahare, Jay Langenbahn, the law firm DLA Piper LLP, […]
December 7, 2021Interfaith Coalition Applauds Biden Administration for Reversing Trump Rule on Faith-Based Discrimination in Foster Placement
Contact: Camilla Jenkins, cjenkins@childrensrights.com The Biden administration has revoked Trump-era waivers that allowed taxpayer-funded child welfare agencies to override non-discrimination rules when they conflicted with providers’ religious beliefs. This move came after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it would reinstitute an Obama-era nondiscrimination policy in three states that had sought and […]
November 2, 2021A Second Chance for Youth Tried as Adults in New York State
Governor Kathy Hochul has signed into law a bill providing the right for people who were convicted of a crime when they were under the age of 19, but denied youthful offender status at the time, to reapply for it. Youthful offender status in New York allows young people convicted of a crime to have […]
October 13, 2021Connecticut Monitoring Report Shows Progress in Child Welfare Lawsuit
Contact: Camilla Jenkins, cjenkins@childrensrights.com BRIDGEPORT, CT — The court monitoring team in the ongoing federal child welfare reform lawsuit known as Juan F. v. Lamont released the latest report on the progress of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) amid ongoing efforts to improve its child welfare system. The lawsuit, led by national […]
September 30, 2021Relief Expires Today For 20,000 Foster Youth Aging Out During the Pandemic
On September 30, the federal moratorium on youth aging out during the pandemic will expire, pushing approximately 20,000 young adults out of the system. Nearly 900,000 youth and young adults are eligible for this critical emergency relief. The federal government must move quickly to extend the moratorium to ensure that youth are protected, and states must move quickly to help connect foster youth aging out with the support they need
September 29, 2021Federal Court Recognizes Years of Successful Reforms in Allowing Milwaukee County Foster Care Settlement Exit
Contact: Camilla Jenkins, cjenkins@childrensrights.com MADISON, WI — In a milestone for Milwaukee children in foster care served by Wisconsin’s Department of Children and Families (DCF), a federal court today ordered that the agency may exit federal court oversight of a settlement agreement that resulted in major systems change and tangible results for children and families. […]
September 22, 2021Summary Judgment Victory in Georgia IDEA Class Action for Students in Adult Jail
Contact: Camilla Jenkins, cjenkins@childrensrights.com ATLANTA, GA — On September 16, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia granted Plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment in T.H. v. DeKalb County School District. The Court held that a trial is not necessary for the Plaintiff class to prevail on its claim that the DeKalb County […]
September 14, 2021Children’s Rights Announces Leecia Welch as New Lead Counsel
Contact: Camilla Jenkins, cjenkins@childrensrights.com (New York, NY)—National child welfare organization Children’s Rights has added Leecia Welch to its team as a new Lead Counsel. Welch brings extensive legal experience in the child welfare field, including 16 years at the National Center for Youth Law in Oakland where she was the Senior Director of Child Welfare […]
September 10, 2021Court Allows Lawsuit Challenging New Hampshire’s Systematic and Unlawful Treatment of Older Youth in Foster Care to Continue
Contacts: Children’s Rights: Camilla Jenkins, cjenkins@childrensrights.org, 917.971.1784; New Hampshire Legal Assistance: Sarah Palermo, spalermo@nhla.org, (603) 369-6650 (New Hampshire)–Yesterday the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire issued a ruling largely denying the State’s motion to dismiss G.K. v Sununu, permitting plaintiffs to pursue five of the six claims they raised. The lawsuit, […]
