September 2011

Cover Story

An Overview of Juvenile Mental Health Courts By Patrick Gardner

Studies show that up to 65 or 70 percent of youth held in American juvenile detention centers have a diagnosable mental illness. Further, a congressional study concluded that every day approximately 2,000 youth are incarcerated simply because community mental health services are unavailable.

ABA Adopts Model Act on Child Representation

By Andrea Khoury

The ABA House of Delegates passed the most comprehensive policy concerning the child's representative since The Standards of Practice for Lawyers Who Represent Children in Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency Proceedings.

Reasonable Efforts in Child Welfare Cases: New Jersey Supreme Court Gives Guidance

By Jey Rajaraman

The principle of maintaining families and avoiding separation is clearly expressed in child welfare laws and policies, but exactly what constitutes reasonable efforts or what services and actions fulfill this statutory duty varies from case to case.