Childrens Law Center Of Minnesota

CHILDREN'S LAW CENTER OF MINNESOTA PROMOTES AND PROTECTS THE LEGAL RIGHTS AND WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH THROUGH LEGAL ADVOCACY, EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH, AND POLICY REFORM.

CLC SERVED 506 CLIENTS IN 2023, AND SAW 158 CASES TO COMPLETION. OF THESE YOUTH, 54% (274) ARE FEMALE, 46% (232) ARE MALE; 58% (293) OF THE CASES ARE WITHIN RAMSEY COUNTY, 42% (214) ARE IN HENNEPIN COUNTY. ALL CLC CLIENTS ARE YOUNG PEOPLE IN FOSTER CARE IN MN, MOSTLY BETWEEN AGES 10-21. CLC SERVES A HIGH MINORITY POPULATION, MANY OF WHOM IDENTIFY AS MORE THAN ONE RACE. SPECIFICALLY, 187 (37%) ARE AFRIAN-AMERICAN, 172 (34%) ARE TWO OR MORE RACES, 37 (7%) ARE ASIAN, 10 (2%) ARE HISPANIC-LATINO, 8 (2%) ARE NATIVE AMERCAN BUT DO NOT QUALIFY FOR ICWA, 24 (5%) ARE ICWA ELIGIBLE, AND 68 (13%) ARE WHITE. 70% OF CLC CLIENTS GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL. 417 (82%) OF CLIENTS SERVED IN 2023 BELONGED TO A SIBLING GROUP. 450 (89%) HAD SPECIAL NEEDS. OF THE 158 CASES CLOSED IN 2023, 48 (30%) WERE ADOPTED, 36 (23%) AGED OUT, AND 24 (15%) HAD A TRANSFER OF CUSTODY. CLC STAFF ATTORNEYS REPRESENTED 273 (54%) OF CLC'S CLIENTS AND VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS REPRESENTED 233 (46%) OF CLC'S CLIENTS, INCLUDING SIBLING GROUPS. SOME VOUNTEER ATTORNEYS HAVE MORE THAN ONE CASE THROUGH CLC. IN 2023, CLC STAFF PARTICIPATED IN THE FOLLOWING EXTERNAL COMMITTEES AND COALITIONS TO ADVOCATE AND ASSIST IN IMPROVING THE SYSTEMS THAT AFFECT FOSTER AND AT-RISK YOUTH: 1) ABA CHILDREN'S LAWYERS CONNECT; 2) CHILDREN'S JUSTICE INITIATIVE; 3) STATEWIDE CJI ADVISORY COMMITTEE; 4) STATEWIDE CJI MENTAL HEALTH SUBCOMMITTEE; 5) ONECOURTMN HEARINGS INITIATIVE (OHI); 6) MIFPA PHASE II; 7) MINNESOTA LEGAL AID WELLNESS COMMITTEE; 8) SPECIAL IMMIGRATION JUVENILE STATUS ROUNDTABLE; 9) CHILDREN'S JUSTICE ACT TASK FORCE; 10) HENNEPIN COUNTY CHILDREN'S JUSTICE INITIATIVE GROUP, 11) RAMSEY'S COUNTY CHILDREN'S JUSTICE INITIATIVE GROUP; 12) RAMSEY COUNTY QUARTERLY ADOPTION COMMITTEE; 13) RAMSEY COUNTY DATA SUBCOMMITTEE, 14) RAMSEY COUNTY ICWA ADVISORY BOARD 15) STATE TRIBAL PARTNERSHIP COMMITTEE; 16) MINNESOTA RULES OF JUVENILE PROTECTION PROCEDURE COMMITTEE; 17) MSBA CHILDREN AND THE LAW SECTION. 70% OF CLC CLIENTS GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, EXCEEDING NATIONAL STATISTICS FOR YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE. CLC TRAINED 12 NEW VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS IN 2023 THROUGH AN ON-DEMAND CLE TRAINING. CLC ALSO FACILITATED TRAININGS ON ETHICAL PITFALLS IN PRO BONO SERVICES, LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND ADVOCACY FOR YOUTH IN EXTENDED FOSTER CARE (EFC), REASONABLE EFFORTS JUDICIAL ACADEMY, PERMANENCY IN PRACTICE FOR CHILD ATTORNEYS, ADDRESSING SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS IN CHILD PROTECTION MATTERS, OVERVIEW OF CLC AND OUR PRACTICE, EFFECTIVE REPRESENTATION OF TEENS: SPECIAL TOPICS IN CHILD PROTECTION MATTERS, AND ICWA/MIFPA BEST PRACTICES IN MINNESOTA DISTRICT COURTS.