Courts To Focus on Improving Practices in Child Welfare

RENO, NV / ACCESS Newswire / March 3, 2026 / The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges has selected 10 new courts to join their Implementation Sites Project, which helps to improve outcomes for children and their families involved in child welfare cases.

The NCJFCJ Implementation Sites Project, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, provides child abuse and neglect courts with training, technical assistance, and support to guide program improvement, sustainability, and performance. As part of their involvement in this project, Implementation Sites are expected to implement meaningful changes, evaluate progress, as well as share challenges and successes with other courts across the country. The Implementation Sites will integrate promising practices, as defined by the NCJFCJ's "Enhanced Resource Guidelines: Improving Court Practices in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases" to guide system reform efforts.

The NCJFCJ will work with the following courts and lead judges by helping to identify strengths and challenges, in addition to strategizing solutions to address those impediments, to improve their current court practices and the delivery of services to families and children. Judicial leadership and effective cross-system collaboration are viewed as essential for project success.

Bethel Superior Court, Bethel, Alaska

First Judicial District Juvenile Court, Golden, Colorado

Augusta Judicial Circuit, Augusta, Georgia

Third Circuit Family Court, Hilo Division, Hilo, Hawai?i

Polk County Juvenile Court, Des Moines, Iowa

Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan, Detroit, Michigan

Leech Lake Tribal Court, Cass Lake, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe

Beltrami County Court, Bemidji, Minnesota

Washington County Juvenile Court, Stillwater, Minnesota

Dodge County Court , Fremont, Nebraska

The 10 new courts will join over a dozen other Implementation Project sites across the country.

One judge who has received our assistance since 2019, stated, "The training offered by the NCJFCJ has been a vital source of support and guidance for me. It has played an essential role in my development as a judge, providing me with the tools and knowledge I need to navigate the complexities of this job." - Lead Judge

Another stated, "Focusing on the best practice recommendations and key principles outlined in the NCJFCJ's Resource Guidelines provided our court with a clear framework... and a benchmark to measure ourselves against and led to significant improvements in our court process." - Lead Judge

"We are pleased to have received such a strong and competitive set of applications," said Scott Trowbridge, JD, program director, child welfare for the NCJFCJ. "The selected sites stood out for their impressive ideas for innovation, representation of diverse jurisdictions across the country, and their heartfelt commitment to the communities they serve."

More than 4 million families are impacted by the work of the NCJFCJ every year. To learn more about the NCJFCJ, visit the website.

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About the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ):
Founded in 1937, the Reno, Nevada-based National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges is the nation's oldest judicial membership and education organization focused on improving the effectiveness of our nation's juvenile and family courts. As a leader in continuing education opportunities, research, and policy development in the fields of juvenile and family justice, domestic violence, and domestic relations, this judicial member organization is distinctive in providing practice-based resources to jurisdictions and communities nationwide. The NCJFCJ serves an estimated 30,000 juvenile and family court professionals in state and tribal courts throughout the country, who impact more than 4 million families. To learn more about the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, visit ncjfcj.org.

Media Contact:
Chrisie Yabu, APR
KPS3
775-686-7437
[email protected]

SOURCE: National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges



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