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special programs

• The Advocacy Project

• Legal Project

• Criminal Court Project

• Transitioning Youth Project

• Kinship Care

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• The Advocacy Project
This project utilizes an expanded model of representation for the GAL Program in order to increase the number of child victims who receive advocacy services. Professional, social work trained advocates are teamed with attorneys, assigned to cases and execute the customary duties of a volunteer GAL. They carry a full caseload of children and are assigned to cases where a volunteer Guardian is not immediately available or where the needs of the child are legally or medically highly complex and the expertise of a professional Guardian. (back to top)

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• Legal Project
This project ensures that the GAL Program has full-time staff attorneys who provide children with legal access to the court, enabling them to achieve permanency for children in a timely and appropriate fashion. Attorneys provide necessary legal advice and representation to all non-lawyer guardians ad litem in order for them to effectively be a voice for the child in court and make sure that the best interests of children are served by the court and the child protection system. Attorneys are essential to the overall success of the Guardian Ad Litem Program. (back to top)

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• Criminal Court Project
This component of the GAL Program tracks, links and coordinates the child protection (Juvenile) and criminal court divisions to protect child victims from the traumatic and repetitive nature of legal actions from two separate court systems. Unlike the juvenile court, criminal court is not child-focused, as the child's rights are considered secondary to the defendant's. Furthermore, child abuse victims can be subjected to multiple and repetitive depositions, numerous physical and psychological examinations and inconsistent court orders. The criminal court project provides a comprehensive approach to coordinate these two separate court divisions and ultimately reduce the trauma to the child victim through consolidated depositions, consistency of court orders and communication among involved agencies. (back to top)

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• Transitioning Youth Project
This program, which launched in July of 2004, expands Guardian Ad Litem representation to older youths who are under the supervision of the Department of Children and Families and are preparing to transition to self-sufficiency. The goal of this project is to make sure that youth who are leaving the system have the adult relationships, education, housing, job and life skills they need to be successful on their own. Advocacy for these youth will ensure that planning for successful independence begins early and that they have access to the additional services necessary for them to successfully transition into adulthood and develop into healthy, productive adults.
(back to top)

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• Kinship Care
Helps ensure that children placed with caretakers other than parents, with a family relationship bond to the children, receive appropriate services for their personal stability and protection.
(back to top)


		special programs • The Advocacy Project • Legal Project • Criminal Court Project • Transitioning Youth Project • Kinship Care ________________________________ • The Advocacy Project This project utilizes an expanded model of representation for the GAL Program in order to increase the number of child victims who receive advocacy services. Professional, social work trained advocates are teamed with attorneys, assigned to cases and execute the customary duties of a volunteer GAL. They carry a full caseload of children and are assigned to cases where a volunteer Guardian is not immediately available or where the needs of the child are legally or medically highly complex and the expertise of a professional Guardian. (back to top) ________________________________________ • Legal Project This project ensures that the GAL Program has full-time staff attorneys who provide children with legal access to the court, enabling them to achieve permanency for children in a timely and appropriate fashion. Attorneys provide necessary legal advice and representation to all non-lawyer guardians ad litem in order for them to effectively be a voice for the child in court and make sure that the best interests of children are served by the court and the child protection system. Attorneys are essential to the overall success of the Guardian Ad Litem Program. (back to top) ________________________________________ • Criminal Court Project This component of the GAL Program tracks, links and coordinates the child protection (Juvenile) and criminal court divisions to protect child victims from the traumatic and repetitive nature of legal actions from two separate court systems. Unlike the juvenile court, criminal court is not child-focused, as the child's rights are considered secondary to the defendant's. Furthermore, child abuse victims can be subjected to multiple and repetitive depositions, numerous physical and psychological examinations and inconsistent court orders. The criminal court project provides a comprehensive approach to coordinate these two separate court divisions and ultimately reduce the trauma to the child victim through consolidated depositions, consistency of court orders and communication among involved agencies. (back to top) ________________________________________ • Transitioning Youth Project This program, which launched in July of 2004, expands Guardian Ad Litem representation to older youths who are under the supervision of the Department of Children and Families and are preparing to transition to self-sufficiency. The goal of this project is to make sure that youth who are leaving the system have the adult relationships, education, housing, job and life skills they need to be successful on their own. Advocacy for these youth will ensure that planning for successful independence begins early and that they have access to the additional services necessary for them to successfully transition into adulthood and develop into healthy, productive adults. (back to top) ________________________________________ • Kinship Care Helps ensure that children placed with caretakers other than parents, with a family relationship bond to the children, receive appropriate services for their personal stability and protection. (back to top)