FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 7, 1995
Contact: Michael Kharfen (202) 401-9215
HHS Announces Grants To Strengthen Family Courts
HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala today
announced the award of 48 grants to State courts across the country
giving States more resources and opportunity to improve court handling
of child welfare cases. The grants will go to the highest court in each
State and build on family preservation and support efforts already underway.
The courts in conjunction with public child welfare agencies are instrumental
in making decisions related to children's safety and well-being.
"Children and families are at their
most vulnerable in situations involving child welfare agencies and the
courts," said Secretary Shalala. "Federal leadership will
enable Judges and social workers to work together as never before. They
will be
able to improve procedures and design systems that recognize a child's
need for safe, supportive and permanent homes."
The U.S. Children's Bureau, part of
HHS' Administration for Children and Families, will administer the grants.
The Bureau will also work with the National Center for Child Abuse and
Neglect and the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile
Justice and Delinquency Prevention to encourage closer cooperation between
child welfare agencies and the courts.
Also providing assistance in this effort
are the National Center for State Courts, the American Bar Association,
the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the Freddie
Mac Foundation and the Kellogg Foundation.
The grants, amounting to $5 million
this year and an additional $10 million for each of the next three years,
will be used to conduct thorough assessments of court strengths and
weaknesses in handling dependency, foster care and adoption
cases. The grants range from $77,000 to $222,000 per State for fiscal
year 1995, and from $95,000 to $798,000 for fiscal years 1996-1998.
These funds are divided according to the number of children under age
21 in each State.
"These are exciting new collaborations
between State courts and local child welfare agencies to protect innocent
children and strengthen families in crisis," said Mary Jo Bane,
assistant secretary for children and families. "At a time when
states need
more support, the welfare reform bill approved by the House of Representatives
would abolish this program along with others providing protection for
children."
A list of the 48 State court contacts
is available upon request.
###
Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials
are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.
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