April 2009 Issue

Together We Rise
Thursday, May 7
Seawell Grand Ballroom

Contact Sara Payne at 303.302.9910 or spayne@law.du.edu for details.

Champions for Children Cycling Team

Triple Bypass Ride
Saturday, July 11, 2009

50 cyclists ride and raise funds. To learn more and/or join, visit the team's website cfccycling.com or contact Sara Payne at 303.302.9910 or spayne@law.du.ed

Programs: A Voice for All Maltreated Children

The Children’s Law Center provides ground-level implementation and enforcement to protect Colorado’s maltreated children. Our attorneys draw upon these experiences, challenges and frustrations to identify critical flaws and determine effective reforms in the child protection system. The Children’s Law Center is honored to have numerous staff members working in model and specialized courts in three counties, and sitting on committees to lead improvements across Colorado.

Shari F. Shink, Founder and Executive Director, is an appointed member of the Governor’s Child Welfare Action Committee, currently undertaking a comprehensive review of Colorado’s child-protection system to improve services provided to children and families. In keeping with the Governor’s mandate, Shari is exploring the possibility of an Independent Children’s Ombudsman Office, which exists in 29 other states, in Colorado. Melissa Parent, staff attorney, is the co-chair of the Prevention Work Group for the Denver Department of Human Services Action Committee on Homeless Youth. She spoke out for “system kids” who end up homeless at the 2008 National Network for Youth Symposium presented in partnership with the American Bar Association.

In addition, staff attorneys serve on model courts in the 1st, 2nd, and 17th Judicial Districts. These courts guide best practices by identifying problems within the family court system, and designing/implementing innovative court and agency-based changes to address them. These best practices include: removing impediments to the timeliness of court events; finding permanent adult connections in the lives of youth preparing to emancipate out of foster care; identifying treatment of youth with serious mental health disorders; ensuring intensive judicial supervision and individualized treatment needed to rehabilitate parents and reunify them with their children.

Above and Beyond: Innovative Solutions to Help Families Influenced by Addictions

The 17th Judicial District’s Integrated Family Drug Court is an intensive, innovative program that requires drug-addicted parents who want to keep their children to be personally responsible and accountable for their own recovery. The story of the Daniels family is one shining example of how the program can be truly life-changing.

Andrea Daniels was only 18 years old when she enrolled in drug court for her methamphetamine and alcohol use. She and her two young children, Kelly and Michael, were living with her mother, who was also a drug addict. During a violent mother-daughter fight, Michael was hurt. The police were called to the home for the 15th and final time. The children were removed from the home and placed in foster care. Tim was appointed Kelly and Michael’s Children’s Law Center attorney. He went to visit the two young children immediately in their temporary home where he found them terrified and confused. The children’s grandmother told social services that there were no relatives or family friends willing to take Kelly and Michael. Unlike social services, Tim was unwilling to take her at her word. Desperate to find his young clients a stable, familiar home, Tim began his own investigation into possible alternative family placements.

During this investigation, he discovered that the children’s grandparents were divorced. Andrea’s father had been estranged from the family for several years because of their grandmother’s drug use. However, he was more than willing to care for Kelly and Michael as long as his daughter continued the Drug Court Treatment Program. After completing a background check and a home study of Andrea’s father, Tim sought an emergency hearing and requested the Court place the children with their paternal grandfather.

Over objection from social services, the judge agreed with Tim and ordered that the children be released from foster care to live with their grandfather.Instead of spending a traumatic year with strangers, Kelly and Michael were able to live with their grandfather. Both Andrea and the children’s father successfully graduated from the Integrated Family Drug Court Program after a year, and the young couple soon got their own apartment where they now lovingly care for Kelly and Michael. Without the critical and timely advocacy provided by the Children’s Law Center, Kelly & Michael’s story may have been dramatically different.

Events: Bough House Raises Awareness and Funds for the Children’s Law Center

This year, 30 prominent architecture firms, contemporary galleries and local artists created imaginative interpretations of modern holiday trees to be silently auctioned at the 3rd Annual Bough House Silent Auction, hosted by the Denver Design District and sponsored by Colorado Homes & Lifestyles Magazine. The evening was attended by 300 of Denver’s art enthusiasts and raised $7,500 for the abused children served by the Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center.

DESIGNERS

Volunteers