October 2019
NACC HAPPENINGS
NACC featured on the Children's Law Podcast
NACC was pleased to welcome True North Child Advocates to our 42nd National Conference in Anaheim to interview conference attendees.

Check out the Interview with NACC's Executive Director, Kim Dvorchak, as well as the two-part series with NACC Board Member Currey Cook on representing LBGTQ+ youth.

The Children's Law Podcast is available here.
Upcoming NACC Members-Only Webinars
Tuesday, November 5, 1-2:30pm ET

The Intersection of Child Welfare and Civil Rights:
A Conversation with the ACLU

Presented by Jason Williamson, Deputy Director
Somil Trivedi, Senior Staff Attorney
ACLU's Criminal Law Reform Project

This session will begin with an overview of the ACLU’s work and structure, along with the various ways in which the ACLU partners with other organizations committed to social justice. Presenters will then discuss some of the intersections of child welfare practice and the ACLU’s advocacy around sacred constitutional protections, including those guaranteed by the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments.
NACC is still in the process of rescheduling the following webinar, stay tuned for further announcements.

What do Foster Youth and Other Stakeholders Want From their Lawyer? Research Findings Chart the Course to High-Quality Legal Representation
NACC POLICY NEWS
New Guide: Implementing the Family First Prevention Services Act. This resource is a tool to help ensure full and prompt implementation of the opportunities created by Family First. This guide was developed by Children's Defense Fund and included contributions from national partners - ChildFocus, American Academy of Pediatrics, Generations United, FosterClub, Juvenile Law Center, and National Indian Child Welfare Association.

CAPTA Funding Action Alert : House and Senate Appropriators are working now to finalize funding levels for FY2020. During these negotiations, it is critical that we let them know the importance of funding for the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA).

CAPTA & Legal Representation Action Alert : NACC sent a  letter  to the chairs of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), as well as individual committee members, regarding the pending reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). CAPTA currently permits states to provide children an attorney OR a lay advocate in abuse and neglect cases, which wrongly conflates the critical differences between these two complementary, yet distinct roles. NACC advocates for an amendment to require legal representation for all children.
 See  NACC's CAPTA Policy Alert webpage , including how you can add your voice to this effort!
CERTIFICATION NEWS

Child Welfare Law Specialist (CWLS) certification is a professional achievement that signifies an attorney's specialized knowledge, skill, and verified expertise in the field of child welfare law.

CWLS Certification is for children's attorneys, parent's attorneys, agency attorneys, judges, and policy advocates/professors.

Congratulations to Our Newest Child Welfare Law Specialists!
Dean Conklin, JD, CWLS
Children’s Law Center of California
Monterey Park, CA

Diana Moreno, JD, CWLS
Children’s Law Center of California
Monterey Park, CA

Yarenia Valladares, JD, CWLS
Children’s Law Center of California
Monterey Park, CA


Interested in becoming a Child Welfare Law Specialist?

NACC members benefit from 2019 Pricing: Members - $375 (Non-Members - $500) 
Application fee includes the exam and hard copy of  Child Welfare Law and Practice, 3rd Edition.
NACC RED BOOK TRAINING & AAHHSA EDUCATION CONFERENCE
NACC Red Book Training in Arlington, Virginia
Saturday, October 26
Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA
Pre-Conference  AAHHSA  Session open to all!
Presented by Brooke Silverthorn, JD, CWLS

Red Book Training is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of child welfare law and practice, as well as to assist attorneys preparing for the Child Welfare Law Specialist (CWLS) certification exam. The training is based on the 3rd Edition of  Child Welfare Law and Practice: Representing Children, Parents, and State Agencies in Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency Cases --more commonly known as the Red Book.

NACC is pleased to partner with the American Association of Health and Human Services Attorneys to offer this training at the annual  AAHHSA Education Conference  and provide an opportunity for all interested attorneys to participate even if they are not attending the AAHSA Conference.

Individuals register through NACC at the link below. Applying for  CWLS Certification  is not required to take the Red Book Training--but why not take your practice to the next level and obtain this important credential?

To register a group of attorneys from your office, please contact NACC at  [email protected] .
We can also create custom packages to include hard copy Red Books and CWLS Certification.
Implementing Family First: Emphasis on Data Management and Medicaid Cross-Over

Wednesday, October 30, AAHHSA Conference
Robin Ghertner, Director
Division of Data and Technical Analysis
US Department of Health and Human Services
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation

Allison Green, JD, CWLS, Legal Director
National Association of Counsel for Children
NACC MEMBER RESOURCES

Prior issues of The Guardian: Click here and check all the expanded content

Prior issues of The Advocate: Catch up on monthly news and events

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National Association of Counsel for Children | www.NACCchildlaw.org