Youth courts in Bolivar, Marion, Harrison, Hancock and Jackson counties in Mississippi will be able to provide a range of innovative supports and evidence-based services to families through funding from New Allies, the consulting and technical assistance initiative of Youth Villages.

The grants, totaling $325,000, aim to improve outcomes for children and families related to safety, permanency and family engagement in the state’s judicial child welfare proceedings.

At the same time, New Allies is launching the Mississippi Youth Court Institute, a collaboration with the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), to support the implementation of best practice standards in child welfare through educational and training opportunities for all courts and judges.

“We recognize that judges, as leaders in our child welfare system, play an integral role in supporting system-level changes that will benefit Mississippi’s children and families,” said Britany Binkowski, director of New Allies. The grants will support a range of family initiatives incorporating court innovations and evidence-based models, including:

Bolivar County Youth Court’s family reunification and stability initiative, focusing on high-quality visitation and care coordination to decrease a child’s time in foster care and expedite reunification

Marion County Youth Court, hiring a staff member to strengthen home safety plans, increase access and utilization of services and integrate family feedback into court decision-making

A tri-county collaborative project with Harrison, Hancock and Jackson County Youth Courts to increase support to moms and expecting moms who are experiencing substance use

A 2024 study by the Mississippi Commission on a Uniform Youth Court System and Procedures found the state’s youth courts are chronically underfunded and understaffed, according to Lee County Court Judge Staci Bevill, who led the commission.

“The Mississippi Youth Court Institute will help recipient courts bridge some funding gaps with targeted resources to improve outcomes for children and families, and in addition provide ongoing educational opportunities for all youth court judges,” Bevill said. “Our judges strive every day for our courts to be better than the day before. Having [New Allies] come alongside us to offer these financial resources and educational opportunities will bring new innovation, and we look forward to a long and productive relationship.”

Outcomes for the initiatives will be evaluated by the Youth Villages’ data science department and the NCJFCJ. “The NCJFCJ is proud to partner with New Allies on the first Mississippi Youth Court Institute,” said Allison List, Ph.D., program director in behavioral health for the NCJFCJ. “As the nation’s oldest judicial membership and education nonprofit, we bring over 88 years of experience in training and technical assistance. We’re honored to support selected court teams in implementing best practices to improve outcomes for families.”

To learn more, email Elizabeth Duryea.

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