ABA National Conference on Access to Justice for Children and Families - April 5-6, 2022 - American Bar Association
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ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Faculty Listing
ABA National Conference
on Access to Justice for
Children and Families
April 5–6, 2022
Ritz Carlton
Tysons Corner VA
#abaccl22
1
ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Welcome
WELCOME
Dear Conference Attendees,
In welcoming everyone back to the ABA Center on Children and the Law Conferences this year
there is one message that I want to convey above all else — Thank You.
• Thank you for all the work you do to promote access to justice for children, parents and
families in the child welfare legal field.
• Thank you for sticking with that work in especially challenging times over the last two
years.
• Thank you for all the extra loads you have each inevitably carried in support of those
around you in both a personal and professional space.
And thank you for being here with us as a part of this important and energizing community.
After so much time apart, it feels more meaningful than ever to reunite in person this year and to
treasure the time to connect, learn and grow together as a community. When we last convened
for these events in April 2019, we could not have imagined what the future had in store in the
form of loss, isolation, and stress. We also could not have imagined the levels of patience, caring
and perseverance that we would all find within ourselves and each other.
One of the clearest lessons from the pandemic has been about the importance of family as
the core support that we all depend on — as children and adults — to find resilience. Over the
next four days, we look forward to celebrating the work each of you does every day to support
children, parents and families: as an attorney, a judge, a court improvement program director, a
social worker, an agency leader, a peer advocate, a national policy advisor, and countless other
roles.
We also hold these events to generate new ideas and new understanding of child welfare legal
practice. To accomplish that, we have an exciting set of agendas prepared, with amazing faculty,
two special tracks focused on race equity in child welfare cases and the impact and implications
of COVID for children and families, and inspiring plenary speakers all week. As you look through
the agendas and identify your goals for the conferences, seek out opportunities to learn from
people you have never met or to engage in workshops on topics where you don’t have expertise,
but you do have curiosity.
In keeping with the goal of building new ideas, please find time to reach out to me or other staff
at the ABA Center on Children and the Law to share how we and the larger ABA can support
your work in this complex legal field. Our mission is to improve access to justice for children and
families and we do that by partnering with you.
It is a privilege to work with and learn from each of you here at the conference, and we look
forward to hearing your feedback on this week’s events.
Sincerely,
Prudence Beidler Carr
Director, ABA Center on Children and the Law
2
ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Faculty Listing
CONFERENCE FACULTY
Susan Abrams, JD Morgen Black-Smith, JD Amanda Cruce, LCSW
Children’s Law Center of California Support Center for Child Advocates Florida Foster Adoptive Parent
Los Angeles, CA Philadelphia, PA Association
Tampa, FL
Salih Alexander, JD Parris Boyd, MSW
ABA Center on Children and the Law Support Center for Child Advocates Sheri Danz
Washington, DC Philadelphia, PA Office of the Child’s Representative
Denver, CO
Heidi Altman, JD Grant Brazill, JD,
National Immigrant Justice Center Morris, Laing, Evans, Brock & Bill Delisio
Chicago, IL Kennedy, Chtd. Judicial Branch
Wichita, KS Denver, CO
Taila AyAy, JD
The FIRST Clinic Erin E. Briggs, JD Alex Dutton, JD
Everett, WA Mississippi Office of State Public Community Legal Services
Defender Philadelphia, PA
Carl E. Ayers, MSW Jackson, MS
Casey Family Programs Jon Ebert, PsyD
Richmond, VA Brandynicole Brooks-Harris, PhD, Vanderbilt University Center of
LICSW, LCSW Excellence
Jamie Bahm, MS DC Child and Family Services Nashville, TN
Center on Children, Families, and the Agency
Law; University of Nebraska Washington, DC 20003 Barbara Elias-Perciful, JD
Lincoln, NE Texas Lawyers for Children
Andrew Brown, JD Dallas, TX
Adam Ballout, JD Texas Public Policy Foundation
The FIRST Clinic Austin, TX Ciera Ellison, MLS
Everett, WA Support Center for Child Advocates
Elizabeth Buhr, MS Philadelphia, PA
Jamar P. Barnes, LMSW Nebraska Dept. of Health and Human
Foster youth alumnus Services Aubrey Edwards Luce, JD, MSW
Baltimore, MD Lincoln, NE First Focus on Children
Washington, DC
Sneha Barve, JD Hon. Sheila Calloway
ABA Center on Children and the Law Juvenile Court, Davidson County Elizabeth Eubanks, JD
Washington, DC Nashville, TN Rios Eubanks, LLP
Montebello, CA
Prudence Beidler Carr, JD Sixto Cancel
ABA Center on Children and the Law Think of Us Stephanie Franklin, JD
Washington, DC Washington, DC The Franklin Law Group, P.C.
Silver Spring, MD
Ivory Bennett, MEd Tiffany Cebrun, JD
Teach for America Foster Care Advocacy Center Sheri Freemont, JD
Dallas, TX Houston, TX Casey Family Programs
Denver, Colorado
Megan Berger, JD Shantrell Charles, DSW
Disability Rights Maryland Foster Care Advocacy Center Cristina Freitas, JD, MPH
Baltimore, MD Houston, TX Freitas & Freitas LLP
Lowell, MA
Corey B. Best Lily Colby, JD
Founder Mining for Gold WithLivedExperience.org Debbie Freitas, JD, MPH
Palm Coast, FL Sacramento, CA Freitas & Freitas LLP
Lowell, MA
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ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Faculty Listing
Anne Fromknecht, MPH Hon. Peter Jones Adrian McLemore, MPA
James Bell Associates Family Court, Sussex County National Strategic Consultant &
Arlington, VA Georgetown, DE Program Officer
Baltimore, MD
Christina Garcia Chambers, JD Priti Kataria, JD
Office of the Cook County Public Lawyers For Children Jarel Melendez
Guardian New York, NY Lawyers For Children
Chicago, IL New York, NY
Kristin Kelly, JD
Dorian Gervais ABA Center on Children and the Law Dean Justin Miller, PhD, MSW, CSW
WithLivedExperience.org Washington, DC University of Kentucky
McKeesport, PA Lexington, KY
Heather Kestian, JD, MEd
Devon Gilchrist, MSW ABA Center on Children and the Law Shannon Moody, MSW
Minnesota Department of Human Washington, DC Kentucky Youth Advocates
Services Lexington, KY
Minneapolis, MN Christine Kiesel, JD
Children’s Bureau Contractor, JBS Kacie Mulhern, JD
Katherine Gladson, JD International, Inc. Rocky Mountain Children’s Law
Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Utica, NY Center
Center Denver, CO
Denver, CO Eva Klain, JD
ABA Center on Children and the Law Dr. Julius Mullen, Ed.D., LPCMH
Allison Green, JD, CWLS Washington, DC Bryan A. Stevenson School of
National Association of Counsel for Excellence
Children Kaveh Landsverk, JD Seaford, DE
New York, NY Children’s Law Center of California
Los Angeles, CA TyAsia Nicholson
Tara Grigg Green, JD, MPP Lawyers For Children
Foster Care Advocacy Center Mimi Laver, JD New York, NY
Houston, TX ABA Center on Children and the Law
Washington, DC Emily Peeler, JD, MSW
Sarah Hedden, JD ABA Center on Children and the Law
Center for Elder Law and Justice Director Mike Leach Washington, DC
Buffalo, New York South Carolina Department of Social
Services Meredith Pindar, JD
Erica Hickey Columbia, SC Office of the Attorney General
Alliance for Children’s Rights Trenton, NJ
Los Angeles, CA April Lee
Community Legal Services Dr. Theodora Pinnock
Eliza Hirst, JD Philadelphia, PA Meharry Medical College
The Delaware Office of Defense Nashville, TN
Services Erica LeMon, JD
Wilmington, DE Maryland Legal Aid Ebony Porter
Baltimore, MD Children’s Law Center of California
Amy Honodel, JD Los Angeles, CA
Legal Aid Center of Southern Gabrielle Markle, JD
Nevada Center for Elder Law and Justice Emily Putnam-Hornstein, MSW, PhD
Las Vegas, NV Buffalo, New York UNC School of Social Work
Chapel Hill, NC
Dr. Martin Irwin Teresa Marrero
NYU Grossman School of Medicine Rise Magazine Vonya Quarles, JD
New York, NY New York, NY Starting Over, Inc.
Riverside, CA
Mona Ivey-Soto, PhD Hon. Aurora Martinez-Jones
Belmont University 126th District Court Hon. Edwina Richardson-Mendelson
Nashville, TN Travis County, TX New York State Unified Court System
New York, NY
Nyasha Justice, JD Sharon McDaniel, PhD, EdD, MPA
ABA Center on Children and the Law A Second Chance, Inc. Hon. Kathleen Quigley
Washington, DC Pittsburgh, PA Pima County Superior Court
Tucson, AZ
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ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Faculty Listing
Cristal Ramirez, MS Wenona T. Singel, JD Tara Urs, JD
National Association of Counsel for Michigan State University College King County Department of Public
Children of Law Defense
Chicago, IL East Lansing, MI Seattle, WA
Diane Redleaf, JD Julie Sollinger, JD Jimmy Vaughn
United Family Advocates/Family Office of the Cook County Public Texas Tech School of Law
Defense Consulting Guardian Lubbock, TX
Oak Park, IL Chicago, IL
Halimah Washington
Heidi Redlich Epstein, JD, MSW Marla Spindel, JD Community Coordinator, Rise
ABA Center on Children and the Law DC KinCare Alliance Magazine
Washington, DC Washington, DC New York, NY
Jennifer Renne, JD Sheldon Spotted Elk, JD Shree Walker, Ed.D.
ABA Center on Children and the Law Casey Family Programs Educator, Motivational Speaker,
Washington, DC Denver, CO Author
Los Angeles, CA
Cristina Ritchie Cooper, JD Alison L. Stankus, JD, MSW
ABA Center on Children and the Law Office of the Cook County Public Kimberly Waller, JD (Invited)
Washington, DC Guardian U.S. Department of Health and
Chicago, IL Human Services
Brenda Robinson, JD Washington DC
Children’s Law Center of California Phyllis Stricklan, JD
Los Angeles, CA Children’s Law Center of California Dr. James Walsh
Los Angeles, CA Swedish Hospital at Addiction
Ulysses Rosales, JD Recovery Services
Office of the Cook County Public Sarah Sullivan Seattle, WA
Guardian Think of Us
Chicago, IL Washington, DC Gina Wassemiller
Parent Ally, The FIRST Clinic
Judith Sandalow, JD, Alicia Summers, PhD Everett, WA
Children’s Law Center Data Savvy Consulting
Washington, DC Reno, NV Amelia Watson, JD
Washington State Office of Public
Nadia Seeratan, JD Tyler Sutherland, JD Defense
ABA Center on Children and the Law Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles Olympia, WA
Washington, DC Los Angeles, CA
Neil Weiss, JD
Rhonda Serrano, JD Luciana Svidler, JD The FIRST Clinic
ABA Center on Children and the Law Children’s Law Center of California Everett, WA
Washington, DC Los Angeles, CA
Hon. Elise White, JD
Beverly Schulterbrandt, JD Scott Trowbridge, JD Lancaster County Safe and Healthy
ABA Center on Children and the Law Administration on Children, Youth Families Court
Washington, DC and Families Lincoln, NE
Washington, DC
Stephanie Shirley, JD Sandra White Hawk
Office of the Cook County Public Lindsey Turner, MA, LMHP First Nations Repatriation Institute
Guardian Voices of Hope Lincoln St. Paul, MN
Chicago, IL Lincoln, NE
Imani Worthy
Public Speaking Coordinator, Rise
Magazine
New York, NY
5ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Agenda
AGENDA
TUESDAY, APRIL 5
8:00 – 8:45 a.m. Registration and Breakfast
Coffee and Grab and Go Breakfast and Registration
9:00 − 10:45 a.m. Welcome and Opening Plenary
Salon I – III
Welcome
Prudence Beidler Carr, JD, Director, ABA Center on Children and the Law
Introductory Remarks
Kimberly Waller, JD, Associate Commissioner for the Family and Youth Services Bureau at
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Invited)
Presentation of the Mark Hardin Award for Child Welfare Legal
Scholarship and Systems Change
Honorable Ernestine Gray, Retired, Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Opening Plenary
What Do Families Look Like at Their Best?
A question that yields different answers depending on what chair you occupy in the
courtroom / legal profession. This conversation seeks to examine the various perspectives
of ‘KINSHIP’ in our legal profession, and how those perspectives impact youth & families.
Ultimately, the goal of this conversation is to arrive at a ‘collective’ answer to the original
question; OR will the answer lead to more questions? Join Adrian in this thought-provoking
conversation to find out.
Adrian McLemore, MPA, Policy Analyst, National Strategic Consultant & Program Officer,
Child Welfare Expert
11:00 − 12:30 p.m. Workshop Session A
1 Keeping Families Together: Improving Outcomes for Relative Caregivers
Salon I
Understanding that racial disparity and disproportionality are prevalent in today’s Child
Welfare System, this workshop will focus on the importance of relative placement and the
need to address barriers that cause racial disparity in relative placements and negatively
affect child welfare outcomes for children of color. We will discuss the benefits of relative
placement to a child’s education, mental health and permanency, and the roadblocks that
many relatives face in getting children placed in their care—especially those with a criminal
history. We will hear from an individual with lived experience about the barriers they faced.
Finally, we will explore legislation, policy and other strategies used by advocates represent-
ing kinship caregivers to provide holistic services to families involved in child welfare cases
to improve outcomes and ensure that more children of color are successfully placed with
relative caregivers.
Tyler Sutherland, JD, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
Susan Abrams, JD, Children’s Law Center of California
Luciana Svidler, JD, Children’s Law Center of California
Vonya Quarles, JD, Starting Over, Inc.
6ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Agenda
2 Away From Home: Eliminating the Unnecessary Use of Institutions in
Foster Care and Placing Foster Youth with Their SOUL Family
Peachgrove
In 2021, Think of Us published “Away from Home: Youth Experiences of Institutional
Placements in Foster Care.” This groundbreaking report documented the experiences
and mental models of foster youth who had recently been institutionalized in foster care,
and made the bold case for eliminating the unnecessary use of institutions in care. In this
presentation, learn what young people are saying about institutions, and how we can and
must replace them by connecting foster youth with their SOUL family. Attorneys and other
professionals will learn strategies for focusing on both legal and relational permanency for
all youth in care.
Sixto Cancel, CEO, Think of Us
Sarah Sullivan, Senior Director, Think of Us
Kristin Kelly, JD, ABA Center on Children and the Law
3 FIRST Legal Clinic: A Medical Legal Partnership
Salon III
Keeping families together and preventing the need for a petition being filed is the primary
goal of the Family Intervention Response to Stop Trauma (FIRST) Clinic. Presenters will
introduce participants to this medical-legal partnership that provides legal representation
to new and soon-to-be parents subject to CPS involvement and share initial evaluation
data. They will also offer practical tips for legal clinics forming successful partnerships with
medical providers.
Taila AyAy, JD, The FIRST Clinic
Adam Ballout, JD, The FIRST Clinic
Gina Wassemiller, Parent Ally, The FIRST Clinic
Neil Weiss, JD, The FIRST Clinic
Dr. James Walsh, Swedish Hospital at Addiction Recovery Services
4 Measuring Hearing Quality: Tools for Attorneys and Courts
Plaza
This session will explore how attorneys fit into and can use the recently released Conceptu-
al Model of Judicial Decision-Making and Hearing Quality, including the importance of legal
representation and in-court advocacy. Participants will also learn why the Compendium of
Measures and Data Sources is important to attorneys by exploring how the Compendium
can be used to identify measures and data sources relevant to their practice.
Anne Fromknecht, MPH, James Bell Associates
Alicia Summers, PhD, Data Savvy Consulting
Eva Klain, JD, ABA Center on Children and the Law
5 COVID and Race Equity Tracks: Plenary Session
How Do We Begin to Tackle the Real and Difficult Problems Confronting
Child Welfare with an Open Mind?
Salon II
A guided discussion between child welfare stakeholders addressing a variety of topics
from confronting racism to Covid vaccinations for children in foster care. The discussion
will explore, acknowledge, and engage differing perspectives to create collaborative goals
and understanding.
Carl E. Ayers, MSW, Casey Family Programs, formerly Virginia Dept. of Social Services
Stephanie Franklin, JD, The Franklin Law Group, P.C.
Hon. Aurora Martinez-Jones, Presiding Judge, 126th District Court, Travis County, TX
Cristal Ramirez, MS, National Association of Counsel for Children
Sheldon Spotted Elk, JD, Casey Family Programs
Prudence Beidler Carr, JD, ABA Center on Children and the Law
7ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Agenda
12:30 – 2:00 p.m. Lunch on your own
2:00 − 3:30 p.m. Workshop Session B
1 Engaging Those with Lived Experience as Partners and Collaborators
Peachgrove
Using examples from recent experiences in action, this session led by lived experience
experts will guide participants on what effective Lived Experience Integration looks like.
Presenters will highlight good, bad, and misguided efforts as well as lessons learned from
those experiences. This workshop will highlight ABA Resolution 115 and the Children’s
Rights issue of the ABA Human Rights Magazine. The session will conclude with recom-
mendations for how lawyers and advocates can partner to move up the “ladder of partici-
pation” and practice meaningful engagement.
Lily Colby, JD, WithLivedExperience.org
Dorian Gervais, WithLivedExperience.org
Erica Hickey, Alliance for Children’s Rights
Sixto Cancel, Think of Us
2 Who Decides the Best Interest of a Tribal Child and What Should be
Considered?
Salon I
Legal parameters and one’s personal life experiences influence the range of possible best
interest factors and recommendations. This session will help attendees consider world-
views and values of other cultural groups by highlighting implementation of ICWA as the
Gold Standard. ICWA implementation has provided some key lessons as to being inclusive
and open in determining a child’s best interest, and presenters will help attendees critically
evaluate and strengthen their practice as it relates to all children and families.
Sheri Freemont, JD, Casey Family Programs
Sheldon Spotted Elk, JD, Casey Family Programs
3 Improving Educational Outcomes for Foster Children with Disabilities:
What Dependency Attorneys Need to Know About Special Education
Plaza
Federal special education law guarantees children with disabilities a free appropriate public
education in the least restrictive environment with individually designed special education
instruction, related services and supports. However, this right is illusory for many foster
youth with disabilities-identified or unidentified-that impact their ability to make education-
al progress. In this session, participants will be guided through an examination of “hot but-
ton” special education issues impacting children with disabilities, including disproportionate
discipline, procedural protections, and compensatory services, especially in the wake of the
COVID-19 pandemic. Presenters will also provide hypotheticals and examples of best prac-
tices with a particular focus on how dependency attorneys can support these students.
Megan Berger, JD, Disability Rights Maryland
Elizabeth Eubanks, JD, Rios Eubanks, LLP
Sneha Barve, JD, ABA Center on Children and the Law
8ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Agenda
4 DISCUSSION GROUP: The Motivating Factors of Attorneys Who
Represent Parents and Children in Dependency, Neglect, and Abuse Cases
Attaché
Research related to the recruitment and retention of attorneys who serve parents and chil-
dren is limited. Using their recent study on the topic, moderators of this discussion group
will facilitate a group concept mapping process to discern what motivates attorneys who
provide high quality representation to children and parents in Dependency, Neglect, and
Abuse proceedings and to explore implications for recruiting and retaining attorneys.
Dean Justin Miller, PhD, MSW, CSW, University of Kentucky
Shannon Moody, MSW, Kentucky Youth Advocates
Judith Sandalow, JD, Children’s Law Center of Washington DC
Eva Klain, JD, ABA Center on Children and the Law
5 COVID and Race Equity Tracks: Joint Session
Let’s Get Grounded: Recognizing Triggers and Self-Care While Doing
This Work
Salon II
Self-care is a part of daily living. It is the care taken by individuals towards their own health
and well-being, and includes the care extended to their family, friends, colleagues, clients,
and others in local communities. As the field moves forward in addressing racial equity and
the impact of Covid self-care is especially critical because emotional triggers will occur.
This session provides a grounding for both tracks by exploring how to recognize emotion-
al triggers; how to understand their impact on ways we relate to one another; and how to
prioritize self-care as a means of sticking with challenging work.
Jon Ebert, PsyD, Vanderbilt University Center of Excellence
Mona Ivey-Soto, PhD, Belmont University
Alison L. Stankus, JD, MSW Office of the Cook County Public Guardian
Beverly Schulterbrandt, JD, ABA Center on Children and the Law
3:30 – 3:45 p.m. Break
3:45 − 5:15 p.m. Workshop Session C
1 Applying Procedural Justice to Elevate Client Voices and Narratives
Peachgrove
Procedural justice examines the interactions between legal actors and the public by mea-
suring the presence of certain elements (transparency, neutrality, voice/participation, and
dignity/respect). However, the fundamental power imbalance within the child welfare sys-
tem produces a dominant narrative contrary to these norms. This narrative is rooted in his-
torical and systemic racism, bias, and insensitivity to the cultural identities, languages, and
narratives of traditionally oppressed, poor, and minority families. Applying a procedural
justice framework—particularly around voice/participation—to this interaction, participants
will learn practical strategies and tools for developing and delivering powerful client-cen-
tered narratives in order to improve experiences and outcomes for families.
Cristina Freitas, JD, MPH, Freitas & Freitas LLP
Debbie Freitas, JD, MPH, Freitas & Freitas LLP
Salih Alexander, JD, ABA Center on Children and the Law
9ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Agenda
2 Working with Immigrant Families Involved in the Child Welfare System
Salon III
This session will offer guidance on protecting the due process rights of parents and chil-
dren with unauthorized immigration status, with a focus on dependency cases involving a
parent who is detained, deported, or living outside the United States. Presenters will high-
light a tool kit designed to provide child welfare practitioners in Arizona information on
how best to address cases involving transnational families. They also will identify options
for parents in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, agency approaches to
working with family across borders, relevant judicial considerations, and other avenues to
effectively engage immigrant or transnational families.
Heidi Altman, JD, National Immigrant Justice Center
Meredith Pindar, JD, New Jersey Office of the Attorney General
Hon. Kathleen Quigley, Pima County Superior Court
Cristina Ritchie Cooper, JD, ABA Center on Children and the Law
3 System Improvement through Legal and Judicial Involvement in Federal
Reviews
Plaza
The federal Child and Family Services Reviews are designed to examine the child welfare
system experiences of children and families. Involvement of attorneys and judges will serve
to help identify performance strengths and address the most critical legal and judicial
barriers to positive outcomes. Presenters will provide a high-level overview of this review’s
process and tools, underscore the importance of participation by individual attorneys and
judges, and explore how to get involved and engage other members of the legal and judi-
cial communities to affect positive system change to benefit children and families through
this review.
Christine Kiesel, JD, Children’s Bureau Contractor, JBS International, Inc.
Scott Trowbridge, JD, Administration on Children, Youth and Families
Heather Kestian, JD, MEd, ABA Center on Children and the Law
4 COVID Track: Taking the Good from the Bad
Salon I
As child welfare practitioners it is important to maintain the bridges that were constructed
during Covid. Despite the hardship and devastation caused by Covid, the child welfare sys-
tem showed remarkable resiliency and adaptability. This session examines how to sustain
areas of progress including in legal processes, kin placements, and financial support for
youth.
Amy Honodel, JD, Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada
Director Mike Leach, South Carolina Department of Social Services
Amelia Watson, JD, Washington State Office of Public Defense
5 Race Equity Track: What Are We Talking About? A Historical
Understanding of Child Welfare and Race
Salon II
What led me to believe this is so? This session explores the categories of how people act
and react to race within and outside the child welfare system. Presenters will guide a diverse
audience of legal professionals on how to examine the history underlying intersections be-
tween child welfare, gender, and race to reflect on the implications of that history. Partici-
pants will come away with a better understanding of their own roles and responsibilities for
addressing these topics directly and challenging assumptions in the present and future.
Sharon McDaniel, PhD, EdD, MPA, A Second Chance, Inc.
Phyllis Stricklan, JD, Children’s Law Center of California
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Conference Reception
10ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Agenda
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6
8:45 − 10:15 a.m. Workshop Session D
1 Creating a Trauma Informed and Inclusive Courtroom
Salon III
Trauma and discrimination are pervasive in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
Judges and lawyers often play a pivotal role in either exacerbating or abating a child or
family’s trauma, often with little awareness of the repercussions that certain words or
actions have. This workshop will address the impact of trauma on brains and behavior,
explore how the pandemic and racial discrimination have created additional layers of stress
and barriers for many families, and provide specific tools to create a trauma-responsive
and equitable courtroom.
Eliza Hirst, JD, The Delaware Office of Defense Services
Hon. Peter Jones, Family Court, Sussex County, Delaware
Dr. Julius Mullen, Ed.D., LPCMH, Bryan A. Stevenson School of Excellence
2 Successful School Reintegration Following Time in a Congregate Care
Facility: Disrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline
Peachgrove
In this session, a multi-disciplinary team will present their research on obstacles faced by
students upon reentry into public schools from congregate care settings. Participants will
be led through an interactive session that encourages them to identify barriers in the rein-
tegration process and learn from promising practices that may mitigate educational harm
to students placed in congregate care.
Morgen Black-Smith, JD, Support Center for Child Advocates
Parris Boyd, MSW, Support Center for Child Advocates
Ciera Ellison, MLS, Support Center for Child Advocates
Emily Peeler, JD, MSW, ABA Center on Children and the Law
3 Alliances that Win: Strategic Advocacy by Children’s and Parents’
Attorneys
Plaza
Dependency courts are an adversarial system. Yet, parents and children’s attorneys can
and should strategically come together to reach shared goals. This session will focus on
the elements of high-quality legal representation, review updated best practices from the
Family Justice Initiative and NACC and highlight success stories from the field.
Allison Green, JD, CWLS, National Association of Counsel for Children
Mimi Laver, JD, ABA Center on Children and the Law
4 COVID Track: Things We Lost During the Pandemic (Part One)—
Safety & Permanency
Salon I
Safety, permanency, and well-being deficits from a child’s perspective were all compro-
mised in different ways. This is a multi-discipline presentation paring professionals from
various fields including education, pediatric care, mental health, with practicing child
welfare attorneys to develop strategies for addressing these deficits in current and future
cases.
April Lee, Parent Advocate, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia
Erica LeMon, JD, Maryland Legal Aid
Brenda Robinson, JD, Children’s Law Center of California
Heather Kestian, JD, MEd, ABA Center on Children and the Law
11ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Agenda
5 Race Equity Track: Getting Past “I Can’t Do This! Expecting Me to End
Racism in the Child Welfare System is Ludicrous”
Salon II
The notion of tackling racism can seem insurmountable. This session explores how indi-
viduals can effect change through their own actions guided by introspection, listening to
others, and a desire to make a positive difference.
Corey B. Best, Founder, Mining for Gold
Brandynicole Brooks-Harris, PhD, LICSW, LCSW, DC Child and Family Services Agency
Hon. Edwina Richardson-Mendelson, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice
Initiatives, New York State Unified Court System
Tara Urs, JD, King County Department of Public Defense
Nadia Seeratan, JD, ABA Center on Children and the Law
10:15 – 10:30 a.m. Break
10:30 − 12:00 p.m. Workshop Session E
1 Ethical Issues in Child Welfare Cases ETHICS CREDIT
Salon III
This session will explore the challenging ethical issues that play out in unique ways for
attorneys representing children, parents, and child welfare agencies. We will cover topics
such as confidentiality, representing clients with diminished capacity, interactions with rep-
resented and unrepresented parties, conflicts of interest, and who makes decisions when
your client is a government agency. Through a series of hypothetical case scenarios, we
will examine how the Model Rules of Professional Conduct apply, as we engage in active
debate on handling the difficult issues that arise day-to-day. The session will help attorneys
develop an increased awareness of how ethical issues can shape representation, resulting
in better decision-making and advocacy in the face of ethical dilemmas.
Jennifer Renne, JD, ABA Center on Children and the Law
2 Promising Practices and Effective Representation of Kin
Peachgrove
Kinship caregivers are in a special position to help reduce the trauma experienced by chil-
dren who are removed from their parents. States have begun to value placement with kin
and explore better ways to support these families. Attorneys representing kin caregivers
need a unique skill set to help guide kin through the system. Without an attorney, kin are
unlikely to know their rights and obligations, options for permanency or eligibility for assis-
tance and services. We will share promising strategies implemented by states to improve
the use of kin to support families, explore the attorney’s role in mitigating factors prevent-
ing placement or the licensing of kin, and discuss the kinship attorney’s role at different
stages of the court proceedings. Resource materials and tools will be provided to help
attorneys improve kinship practices in their jurisdiction.
Sarah Hedden, JD, Center for Elder Law and Justice
Gabrielle Markle, JD, Center for Elder Law and Justice
Emily Peeler, JD, MSW, ABA Center on Children and the Law
Heidi Redlich Epstein, JD, MSW, ABA Center on Children and the Law
12ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Agenda
3 Creating a Holistic Court Response to Domestic Violence Cases by
Cultivating Professional Relationships
Plaza
Reconciling divergent roles and goals can be difficult for professionals in child welfare do-
mestic violence cases, particularly when perspectives are informed by past work and per-
sonal experiences. This workshop will highlight the journey one jurisdiction took to improve
their local juvenile court response to families experiencing domestic violence. Presenters
will share their experience of using a needs assessment to address historical relationship
challenges and systems-induced barriers and to create a specialized juvenile court track for
families experiencing domestic violence.
Jamie Bahm, MS, Center on Children, Families, and the Law; University of Nebraska
Hon. Elise White, JD, Lancaster County Safe and Healthy Families Court
Elizabeth Buhr, MS, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Lindsey Turner, MA, LMHP, Voices of Hope Lincoln
4 DISCUSSION GROUP: Integrating Youth Lived Experience in Direct
Practice & Advocacy
Attaché
This discussion group will share model practices adopted by Lawyers For Children (LFC)
in New York City, on how to integrate and embed the lived experiences and expertise of
youth in foster care to achieve effective representation of children and systemic advocacy.
They will highlight the development of LFC’s Adolescents Confronting Transition Project,
which focuses on supporting youth transitioning out of foster care, through the use of full-
time staff with lived experience, including former clients.
Priti Kataria, JD, Lawyers For Children
Jarel Melendez, Youth Advocate Coordinator, Adolescents Confronting Transition Project,
Lawyers For Children
TyAsia Nicholson, Youth Ambassador, Lawyers For Children
5 COVID and Race Equity Tracks: Joint Session
“Without Data You Are Just Another Person with An Opinion” (Albert
Einstein)
Salon II
Do you go to your happy place at the mere mention of the word data? Do you struggle
with incorporating numbers into your legal advocacy? Do you find yourself thinking data
isn’t helpful? This session will explore these questions. Anyone can be overwhelmed by
data. This session discusses how legal practitioners can define data; utilize localized data
sources; consider a qualitative approach to data; and effectively utilize data in legal advo-
cacy to advance child, parent, and agency client interests.
Sheri Danz, Office of the Child’s Representative, Colorado
Emily Putnam-Hornstein, MSW, PhD, UNC School of Social Work
Hon. Aurora Martinez-Jones, Presiding Judge, 126th District Court, Travis County, TX
12:00 – 12:30 p.m. Conference Luncheon
Salon I – III
13ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Agenda
12:30 − 1:30 p.m. Lunch Plenary — Sandra White Hawk and Wenona Singel
Salon I – III
Introduction
Sheri Freemont, Senior Director, Casey Family Programs
Truth, Healing and Reconciliation Community Forums
Sandra White Hawk is a Sicangu Lakota adoptee from the Rosebud Reservation, South
Dakota. She is the founder and Director of First Nations Repatriation Institute (FNRI), the
first organization of its kind whose goal it is to create a resource for First Nations people
impacted by foster care or adoption to return home, reconnect, and reclaim their identity.
The Institute also serves as a resource to enhance the knowledge and skills of practitioners
who serve First Nations people. She will be speaking about Truth Healing Reconciliation
Community Forums that bring together adoptees/fostered individuals and their families
and professionals with the goal to identify post adoption issues and to identify strategies
that will prevent removal of First Nations children. She has also initiated an ongoing sup-
port group for adoptees and birth relatives in the Twin Cities Area.
From Indian Child Welfare to Indian Child Warfare: The Potential
Implications of Haaland v. Brackeen
Wenona T. Singel, JD is the Associate Director of the Indigenous Law & Policy Center
and Associate Professor of Law at the Michigan State University College of Law. She will
provide an overview of the petitions challenging the Indian Child Welfare Act in the Brack-
een case, which recently received a grant of certiorari by the Supreme Court of the United
States. The presentation will also address the potential ramifications for American Indians if
the Act is ruled unconstitutional and the importance of upholding ICWA to ensure children
maintain connections to their families, culture and community when they become involved
in the child welfare system.
1:45 − 3:15 p.m. Workshop Session F
1 Looking Beyond What We Currently Have: Parents’ Vision for Family
Justice and Well-Being
Plaza
Parents impacted by family policing will share their visions for families and for addressing
the disparities in the child welfare system. Presenters will highlight two programs: their
peer and community care model, designed to interrupt cycles of family crisis and system
involvement, and their community education and mobilization program. This session will
also explore ways that allies can support a parent-centered movement for family justice.
Teresa Marrero, Parent Advocate Training Coordinator, Rise Magazine
Halimah Washington, Community Coordinator, Rise Magazine
Imani Worthy, Public Speaking Coordinator, Rise Magazine
Beverly Schulterbrandt, JD, ABA Center on Children and the Law
2 Trauma-Informed Advocacy to Prevent Misdiagnosis and Inappropriate
Use of Psychiatric Medication and to Promote Healing
Salon III
This presentation will equip attorneys with tools to advocate for what their child clients
need to stop misdiagnosis and inappropriate use of psychiatric medication. The presen-
tation will cover “red flags” that can help attorneys recognize situations when the child’s
treatment with psychiatric medications may be problematic, offer lessons from lived expe-
rience, explore legal remedies and strategies to address concerns, and suggest ideas for
innovative reform.
Barbara Elias-Perciful, JD, Texas Lawyers for Children
Dr. Martin Irwin, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Jimmy Vaughn, Former Foster Youth, 3L at Texas Tech School of Law
14ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Agenda
3 Ensuring Equity and Access to Justice for Youth in Care through
Multi-Tiered, Subject-Matter Advocacy
Peachgrove
Youth in care (YIC) experience many inequities and ensuring access to justice for them re-
quires multi-tiered advocacy and expertise in areas intersecting with child welfare. Cultivating
expertise in a variety of ancillary, interconnected fields can support equitable outcomes and
systemic change for YIC. Presenters will share strategies for fostering subject matter experts
in relevant fields, insight on developing relationships with experts, and case experiences which
challenge the inequities confronted by YIC of color, LGBTQ+ youth, and undocumented YIC.
Christina Garcia Chambers, JD, Office of the Cook County Public Guardian
Ulysses Rosales, JD, Office of the Cook County Public Guardian
Stephanie Shirley, JD, Office of the Cook County Public Guardian
Julie Sollinger, JD, Office of the Cook County Public Guardian
4 COVID Track: Things We Lost during the Pandemic (Part Two)—
Well-Being
Salon I
Safety, permanency, and well-being deficits from a child’s perspective were all compro-
mised in different ways. This is a multi-discipline presentation paring professionals from
various fields, including education, pediatric care, mental health, with practicing child
welfare attorneys to develop strategies for addressing these deficits in current and future
cases. This is a two-part presentation.
Dr. Theodora Pinnock, Meharry Medical College
Cristal Ramirez, MS, National Association of Counsel for Children
Sneha Barve, JD, ABA Center on Children and the Law
5 Race Equity Track: Tell Me It’s Racism without Saying Racism
Salon II
How to effectively advocate against racism in judicial decisions and agency practices
without being dismissed as a radical, being held in contempt, or placing a bullseye on your
client’s back.
Erin E. Briggs, JD, Mississippi Office of State Public Defender
Alex Dutton, JD, Community Legal Services Philadelphia
Aubrey Edwards Luce, JD, MSW, First Focus on Children
Devon Gilchrist, MSW, MN Department of Human Services
3:15 – 3:30 p.m. Break
3:30 − 5:00 p.m. Workshop Session G
1 How America’s Hidden Foster Care System Hurts Children and Families
Peachgrove
This workshop will explore how the practice of hidden foster care, with the related practice
known as kinship diversion, sets up primarily low-income families and families of color to
fail by denying them legal rights and resources. Presenters will discuss the various ways
that hidden foster fails to provide due process protections when a child is removed from
their home; leaves families and without adequate supports or services; and forces kinship
caregivers to care for children for whom they have no legal rights. Presenters will discuss
their own advocacy efforts for parents, children and kinship families affected by hidden
foster care, such as bringing impact litigation challenging the practice of hidden foster care
and working to change local and federal laws and policies that perpetuate hidden foster
care.
Andrew Brown, JD, Texas Public Policy Foundation
Diane Redleaf, JD, United Family Advocates/Family Defense Consulting
Marla Spindel, JD, DC KinCare Alliance
15ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Agenda
2 Breaking the Cycle: Multidisciplinary Approaches to Reducing System
Involvement
Salon III
By providing legal and multidisciplinary support, attorneys can help families avoid or
reduce system involvement. The Children’s Law Center of California will discuss lessons
learned from their pre-filing parent representation program which seeks to support young
and expectant parents in foster care. The Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center will share
their multi-disciplinary team approach to resourcing civil legal services, which includes a
process of triaging legal and non-legal needs with families and presenting to a collabora-
tive team for more intensive issue-spotting and problem-solving sessions.
Kaveh Landsverk, JD, Children’s Law Center of California
Ebony Porter, Parent Support Coordinator, Children’s Law Center of California
Katherine Gladson, JD, Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center
Kacie Mulhern, JD, Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center
3 Creating and Sustaining a Multidisciplinary Law Office
Plaza
This session will discuss the nuts and bolts of building a brand-new multidisciplinary child
welfare law office. Using their experience with the Foster Care Advocacy Center, present-
ers will share the necessary elements to successfully developing, launching, and sustaining
a new legal organization. Included will be guidance on topics such as developing funding
streams, hiring staff, and building a foundation of race equity and power sharing from the
organization’s inception.
Tiffany Cebrun, JD, Foster Care Advocacy Center
Shantrell Charles, DSW, Foster Care Advocacy Center
Tara Grigg Green, JD, MPP, Foster Care Advocacy Center
4 COVID Track: Court Transformation or More of the Same? What Covid
Means for the Future of Remote Hearings, Party Participation, Due
Process, Case Delays, Stipulations, and ASFA Timelines
Salon I
This session discusses how judges, court administrators, attorneys and lawmakers can
incorporate the Covid necessitated transformations into best practices for the child welfare
legal system of tomorrow. This session will also address the risks that lessons learned from
the last two years may be ignored as we slip back into old habits.
Ivory Bennett, M.Ed., Teach for America
Grant Brazill, JD, Morris, Laing, Evans, Brock & Kennedy, Chtd.
Hon. Sheila Calloway, Juvenile Court, Davidson County Tennessee
Bill Delisio, Judicial Branch, Colorado
Rhonda Serrano, JD, ABA Center on Children and the Law
5 Race Equity Track: You Are Not Alone – How to Do Race Equity Work by
Building Collaborations
Salon II
This track will examine the case of Ma’Khia Bryant as a way of walking through different
layers of system impact for Black children and youth to identify areas where we are all
responsible for building better collaborations, understanding and commitments to the chil-
dren, parents, and families we serve.
Jamar P. Barnes, LMSW, Foster youth alumnus
Corey B. Best, Founder, Mining for Gold
Amanda Cruce, LCSW, Florida Foster Adoptive Parent Association (FAPA)
Stephanie Franklin, JD, The Franklin Law Group, P.C.
Director Mike Leach, South Carolina Department of Social Services
Dr. Theodora Pinnock, Meharry Medical College
Shree Walker, Ed.D., Educator, Motivational Speaker, Author
Nyasha Justice, JD, ABA Center on Children and the Law
16ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | About the Center
ABOUT THE CENTER
The ABA Center on Children and the Law promotes access to justice for children, parents, and
families. Our team of attorneys and core staff work on a diverse portfolio of national, regional
and local projects in the children’s law field throughout the country. Center projects are unified
by two complementary goals: improving legal representation and improving the legal systems
that affect children and families.
Keep Up With The Center
Visit us online:
www.americanbar.org/child
Follow Us On Social Media
www.facebook.com/abaccl www.linkedin.com/abaccl
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Only use blue and/or white.
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Brand Guidelines.
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Join the Center’s Mailing List
Join our mailing list to receive updates from the Center, including Child
Law Practice Today articles that enhance legal practitioners’ knowledge
and skills and improve advocacy for children and families.
Join by sending an email request to:
ctrchildlaw@americanbar.org
17ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Sponsors
SPONSORS
The ABA Center on Children and the Law is thankful
for our generous conference supporters.
PLATINUM
SILVER
BRONZE
The ABA Center on Children and the Law is also extremely thankful for
the many financial supporters and partner organizations who make our ongoing
work in the children’s law field possible throughout the year.
18ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | Ground Rules
GROUND RULES FOR
RESPECTFUL DISCUSSION
• LISTEN — ACTIVELY AND HUMBLY While others are speaking, be present and attentive. Avoid
mentally imposing your own biases, thoughts, or opinions onto what someone else is sharing. If you
paraphrase what someone else said, verify with them afterwards that you have correctly interpreted
their words: “Did I get that right?”
• SHARE THE AIR (STEP UP/STEP BACK) Be mindful of how much you and those around you are
speaking. If you find yourself dominating the conversation, please step back; if you have not spoken
much, feel encouraged to step up.
• LEAN INTO DISCOMFORT Learning only happens when you leave your comfort zone. Try to translate
discomfort into constructive questions.
• BE AWARE OF PRIVILEGE AND POWER Think about how your identity and status affect how you
speak and listen to others.
• USE “I” STATEMENTS Speak from your own experiences and avoid generalizing; respect that others’
experiences and expertise will differ from your own.
• IT’S OK TO DISAGREE Critique ideas, not individuals. Focus criticism on ideas, refrain from personal
attacks or comments on individuals.
• INTENT ≠ IMPACT Recognize that unintended harm is still harm.
• COMMIT TO LEARNING, NOT DEBATING Comment to share information, not to persuade.
• THE “BOTH/AND” RULE Think “both/and” rather than “either/or.” Acknowledge that binaries are
incomplete; leave room for complexity and avoid oversimplification.
• CALL PEOPLE INTO THE CONVERSATION rather than calling them out of the conversation. Don’t
shame and blame, or attack (self or others). Be patient with, rather than critical of, individuals’
unfamiliarity with issues.
• DO NOT LET ROLES LIMIT VALUE. RESPECT ALL VOICES.
19CONFERENCE MATERIALS
AND EVALUATION
For session materials and faculty biographies visit:
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