CONFERENCE OF STATE COURT ADMINISTRATORS
Resolution I
In
Support of Reauthorization of the Court Improvement Project
WHEREAS,
the Conference of State Court Administrators recognizes the importance of
moving children in state custody to permanent and safe homes as quickly as
possible through the efficient and effective handling of child abuse and
neglect cases by the nation’s courts; and
WHEREAS,
in 1993, Congress created the Court Improvement Project (CIP), a grant program
to assist state courts in improving their handling of child abuse and neglect
cases. By passage of this legislation, Congress explicitly
recognized the effect of federal mandates on the state judicial systems and
provided funds directly to the highest court in each state; and
WHEREAS,
Congress required that each state to conduct an assessment, identify problems
in processing child abuse and neglect cases, and develop strategies for
addressing those identified problems; and
WHEREAS, State
courts have met the challenge of Congress.
They completed comprehensive assessments and implemented innovative
solutions for improving court processes and procedures.
Children across the country have benefited, as courts have been able to
improve and expedite the processing of child abuse and neglect cases resulting
in children living in permanent and safe homes; and
WHEREAS, the amount of CIP funds each state
receives is not large. States,
however, have combined the CIP funds with state and local dollars to make
sweeping changes in the way they handle child abuse and neglect cases. The availability of CIP funds has stimulated a synergy among
judicial, executive, and private resources that has resulted in broad changes
in how state courts handle child abuse and neglect cases.
The process, however, is not over.
The CIP funds continue to be a critical factor in providing the
attention these cases need;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the
Conference urges Congress to reauthorize the Court Improvement Project
beginning with FY 2002 and consider increasing the level of funding to assist
state courts in implementing the provisions of the Adoption and Safe Families
Act (ASFA) of 1997 (P. L. 105-89).
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