NCYL has initiated a national project on the psychotropic medication of foster children. Every day, more than 20,000 foster children in the US are medicated with psychotropic drugs, sometimes to a point of sedation that leaves them lethargic, "zonked out," and blocked from the normal activities of growing up.
Spearheading Efforts to Protect Children with Histories of Abuse and Neglect from Sexual Exploitation
By Kate Walker
The thought of a 12-year-old girl being sold to older men to perform sex acts on a nightly basis is deeply disturbing. Even more troubling is the fact that it happens every day in cities throughout this country.
By Bryn Martyna
In March 2010, President Obama signed into law comprehensive health care reform legislation. The two federal laws at the heart of this reform, which address virtually every aspect of health care provision in the US, are commonly referred to collectively as the "Affordable Care Act."
By Bryn Martyna
For 40 years, class action litigation has been used to address difficult and long-standing problems in state and county child welfare systems. A new publication brings together a series of papers authored by 22 top experts to address the factors that make system reform litigation successful.
In February, the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice released a new policy brief which examines if more commitments of juvenile offenders to adult state prisons are the result of prosecuting youth directly in adult court.
HIGHLIGHTS OF NCYL'S WORK
Juvenile Justice
NCYL Senior Attorney Michael Harris argues that no youth under the age of 18 should be sentenced to life without parole.
Arkansas leaders, like their counterparts in other states, have embarked on a plan to transform the state’s juvenile justice system. This report describes the work that has been done to build reform over the past four years.
Health/Mental Health
Two state agencies and several advocacy groups have reached an interim agreement to develop a framework for reform of the Washington state mental health system for children enrolled in Medicaid.
Child Welfare/Foster Care
NCYL and co-counsel Morrison & Foerster LLP appeared before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on February 13, nearly 16 months after the Nevada District Court dismissed their foster care reform case, Henry A. v. Willden.
A small group of organizations and advocates, including NCYL, have formed an ad hoc workgroup to help ensure that the children and families served by the child welfare system are not lost in the shuffle of “realignment” of state program responsibilities and revenues to local governments.
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Communications Officer
ACLU of Northern California, San Francisco
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Unless otherwise noted, photographs that appear in Youth Law News were produced independently of articles and bear no relationship to cases or incidents discussed therein.
Editor: Tracy Schroth
Copy Editors: Bryn Martyna and C.S. Soong
Design: Vonnda
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