Childrens Law Center Of Minnesota

CLC PROVIDES DIRECT LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH, PRIMARILY IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM, AND ADVOCATE FOR CHANGES IN THE SYSTEMS THAT AFFECT THEIR LIVES.

CLC SERVED 701 CLIENTS IN 2021. OF THESE YOUTH, 53% (370) ARE FEMALE, 47% (331) ARE MALE; 59% (415) OF THE CASES ARE WITHIN RAMSEY COUNTY, 41% (286) ARE IN HENNEPIN COUNTY. THIS IS A DECREASE (6%) IN THE NUMBER OF FOSTER YOUTH CLC SERVED IN 2021 VERSUS 2020. ALL CLC CLIENTS ARE YOUNG PEOPLE IN FOSTER CARE IN MN, MOSTLY BETWEEN AGES 10-21. CLC SERVES A HIGH MINORITY POPULATION. 688 (92%) OF YOUTH SERVED BY CLC IN 2020 ARE OF COLOR. SPECIFICALLY, 389 ARE AFRICAN-AMERICAN (55%), 135 ARE NATIVE AMERICAN (19%) (62 NON-ICWA + 73 ICWA), 6 IDENTIFY AS UNSPECIFIED (>1%), 56 ARE ASIAN (8%) AND 61 (9%) ARE LATINO (PLEASE NOTE THAT MANY CLIENTS IDENTIFY AS MORE THAN ONE RACE.).100% OF ALL CLC CLIENTS ARE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE. CLC OPENED 194 NEW CASES IN 2021, AND HAD 65 CLIENTS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EXTENDED FOSTER CARE SERVICES BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18-21. 73% OF CLC CLIENTS GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL. CLC CLOSED A TOTAL OF 205 CASES IN 2021. THOSE THAT DID NOT CLOSE WILL CONTINUE IN 2022. 212 CLC VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS REPRESENTED 354 OF THE 701 CLIENTS. CLC'S 4 STAFF ATTORNEYS REPRESENTED THE OTHER CLIENTS, AND PROVIDED LEGAL SUPPORT AND ADVICE TO VOLUNTEERS ON ALL CASES. COUNTIES WHERE CHILDREN WERE REPRESENTED IN 2021 INCLUDE: HENNEPIN, RAMSEY, AND STEARNS. IN 2021 CLC PARTICIPATED IN THE FOLLOWING COALITIONS WHICH FOCUS ON CHANGING THE SYSTEMS THAT AFFECT AND IMPACT FOSTER, HOMELESS, AND AT-RISK YOUTH: 1) AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION'S SECTION ON CIVIL RIGHT TO COUNSEL, A NATION-WIDE COALITION FOCUSED ON PROMOTING THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL IN DEPENDENCY PROCEEDINGS; AND 2) MINNESOTA STATE BAR ASSOCIATION AND HENNEPIN COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION PRO BONO COMMITTEES FOCUSING ON IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE UNDERSERVED. CLC ALSO SERVES ON THE CHILDREN'S JUSTICE INITIATIVE AND THE JUVENILE COURT RULES COMMITTEE. THE FREQUENCY OF MEETINGS WAS IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC, BUT THE OVERALL WORK CONTINUED. DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, OPPORTUNITIES TO OFFER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING WERE STILL LIMITED IN 2021. CLC MADE ITS "NEW VOLUNTEER ATTORNEY" CLE TRAINING TRAINING AVAIBALE ON DEMAND. IN ADDITION, CLC CONDUCTED SEVERAL PRESENATIONS ON TOPICS SUCH AS "OUT-OF-HOME PLACEMENTS IN MINNESOTA'S FOSTER CARE SYSTEM", "HOW TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE WITH FOSTER CARE YOUTH", "LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN".