NACC Joins Sign-On Letter
- Full Service Community Schools: NACC joined a sign-on letter encouraging Congressional and Appropriations Leadership to fund the Full-Service Community Schools Program at $135 million in the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bill.
Amicus
- The Colorado Supreme Court declined to issue an opinion in the Interest of BJS, a case in which NACC joined as amicus.
Counsel for Kids Fiscal Assessment
- This new report finds that 57,374 of foster children in 13 states are without legal representation. The report additionally finds that, using conservative assumptions, a federal counsel for kids mandate would generate an “estimated federal savings of between $67.96 million and $145.16 million per year.” Read the full report.
Counsel for Kids Update
The campaign supports state bills that strive to expand access to counsel for kids in foster care.
- In Hawaii, HB 1565 would establish and appropriate funds for a working group that will review and consider access to legal representation for youth in the child welfare system, examine practices of other jurisdictions, and conduct site visits to selected jurisdictions in one or more states to identify possible practices to implement.
The campaign also defends kids’ existing rights to counsel from reversal or erosion.
- In Arizona, SB 1234 would reverse the 2021 system reform that mandated the appointment of client-directed children’s attorneys to all children in dependency matters. The proposal would now require the appointment of a guardian ad litem attorney and make any appointments of client-directed counsel discretionary.