The Children’s LAW Center of Connecticut 2015 ANNUAL REPORT your support in action Annual Report 2015-FINAL.indd 1 5/2/2016 3:23:19 PM Dear Friends, As we look back at the significant outcomes of our programs last year, we are extremely grateful for your support. Your belief in our mission and your financial support make it possible for us to continue the unique work we do in Connecticut’s legal aid community as the only agency devoted to impoverished children in Family Court. While the need for our services continues to be great, 2015 was a year of challenges. Late 2014 legislation changed the process for appointing attorneys for children in Family Court, resulting in decreased caseloads. Evolving trends in foundation priorities and targeted guidelines that no longer focus on “basic human services” have left us searching for new funding sources. Continuing legislative action with potentially damaging impact on the representation of children has kept us vigilant. We are facing intense pressure as we continue to persevere in this uphill climb. Nevertheless, 2015 brought impressive highlights as we served more than 2,300 children. Our statewide expansion is almost complete, with the additions of Litchfield and Middletown Judicial Districts. Annual Report 2015-FINAL.indd 2 5/2/2016 3:23:20 PM Fundraising has also increased. Our annual fundraiser earned record net profits and we received many new or increased foundation grants. We also earned the support of more individuals like you! The mission of We continue to be well respected in our field, and have hosted The Children’s Law Center statewide trainings on topics relating to both legal representation of children as well as mediating high-conflict families. In support is to protect poor children of the continued development of our programs, we have designed in family court cases and to and implemented a robust outcome measurement system to advocate for systemic changes ensure the quality of our programs. to the adversarial system We are confident in our future! As we celebrate children and and other policies that strengthen families, we thank all of you for all that you do to advance the well-being of sustain us. We look forward to a year of evolving strategic children involved in direction, new ventures, and expanded program focus – all with family transitions. our eyes toward a renewed vision for helping improve the lives of at-risk children. Justine Rakich-Kelly Robert G. Madden Executive Director President, Board of Directors Annual Report 2015-FINAL.indd 3 5/2/2016 3:23:21 PM Legal Representation Our Legal Representation program is unduplicated by any a client story: Jason came to the Children’s Law other organization in Connecticut. Our CLC staff attorneys Center when he was five. At that time, his parents were in the and mental health professional team up to represent middle of a difficult divorce and they could not keep him out underprivileged children whose parents are embroiled of the mess. His mother, Leila, was very over protective and in protracted, complicated, and highly contentious family had a negative opinion of the father. His father, John, over used court disputes. In addition to poverty, many of our cases prescription pain medication but lived with his parents, who had include other exacerbating issues such as violence, neglect, helped to raise Jason. It got so bad that Jason once stated “I wish addiction, incarceration, and mental illness. Our dual I could disappear so this fighting would end.” With hard work, disciplinary approach ensures that our clients have effective a decision was reached and Jason started living primarily with Artila and Orlando representation in the legal arena but also that appropriate his mother and having regularly scheduled time with his father. services are assessed and put into place for our clients and Things calmed down somewhat for Jason. What makes this their families, better ensuring long-term well-being. case remarkable is that multiple times over the years, as Jason got older and his parents needed to change the parenting plan, they contacted us to help them work things out. Even though they were never far from the court setting, “If my GAL Leila and John sought a more peaceful way to resolve their conflicts. When Jason didn’t help me give was 16, his mother got a great job in New York and wanted to relocate with him. A my dad a chance, motion was filed in court but the parents also scheduled a time to meet with us and I wouldn’t have him in my to allow us to meet with Jason. Ultimately, the parents agreed on the relocation but life right now. I feel good knowing that my dad cares with Jason spending longer periods of time with John in Connecticut. When Jason about me. I never had did not adjust well to the move and was generally failing in the ways he would that before.” 578 70% 96% normally succeed, Leila made the difficult decision to agree that Jason should move back to Connecticut. Jason had never lived with his father but we discussed the children were of cases were of final orders characteristics of his developmental stage. He needed to be closer to his father but, provided legal resolved reflected CLC’s perhaps more importantly, closer to his lifelong friends. Because of the trust that was representation without trial recommendations built between the family and the Children’s Law Center, Jason’s parents are able to our programs make decisions with his best interests at heart and Jason continues to thrive today. Annual Report 2015-FINAL.indd 4 5/2/2016 3:23:21 PM a client story: Jason came to the Children’s Law Center when he was five. At that time, his parents were in the middle of a difficult divorce and they could not keep him out of the mess. His mother, Leila, was very over protective and had a negative opinion of the father. His father, John, over used prescription pain medication but lived with his parents, who had helped to raise Jason. It got so bad that Jason once stated “I wish I could disappear so this fighting would end.” With hard work, a decision was reached and Jason started living primarily with Artila and Orlando Randa and Montana - 10 years later! David and Adam his mother and having regularly scheduled time with his father. Things calmed down somewhat for Jason. What makes this case remarkable is that multiple times over the years, as Jason got older and his parents needed to change the parenting plan, they contacted us to help them work things out. Even though they were never far from the court setting, Leila and John sought a more peaceful way to resolve their conflicts. When Jason was 16, his mother got a great job in New York and wanted to relocate with him. A motion was filed in court but the parents also scheduled a time to meet with us and impact to allow us to meet with Jason. Ultimately, the parents agreed on the relocation but with Jason spending longer periods of time with John in Connecticut. When Jason did not adjust well to the move and was generally failing in the ways he would 96% normally succeed, Leila made the difficult decision to agree that Jason should move back to Connecticut. Jason had never lived with his father but we discussed the characteristics of his developmental stage. He needed to be closer to his father but, perhaps more importantly, closer to his lifelong friends. Because of the trust that was built between the family and the Children’s Law Center, Jason’s parents are able to make decisions with his best interests at heart and Jason continues to thrive today. Annual Report 2015-FINAL.indd 5 5/2/2016 3:23:22 PM Lawline (1-888-LAW-DOOR) Lawline callers are often frustrated and scared, having to navigate appropriate agency. There is no limit to the number of times a person a complicated court system while feeling that they have everything can call the Lawline and we will often receive a call at every step of to lose. Our Lawline is a statewide help line available at no charge their legal process. Perhaps even more important than legal advice, to callers, no matter what their income level. We are able to provide however, is our ability to reassure callers by listening to their concerns answers to even the most complicated issues involving children and and giving them the tools they need so that they can confidently families and if we can’t, we are able to give callers a referral to an represent themselves in an intimidating system. success story Mr. Brady called our Lawline out of grave concern for his Mr. Brady was so worried about his grandson and desperate to have grandchild. He and his wife lived out of state, but their him placed in his home. He and his wife were capable and ready to grandchildren lived in Connecticut. Their daughter had provide everything their grandson needed. But, once in foster care, he some serious battles with drug and alcohol addiction with a was having a heck of a time getting Alex out. significant history of poor choices. In fact, Mr. Brady and his wife had been foster parents for their grandchildren in We explained to Mr. Brady DCF’s process for foster care and relative the past. placement, emphasizing that it is very difficult for the Department to place a child out of state. We suggested he update his foster care DCF removed all three of the mother’s children because of license in his state and provide that information to the DCF worker.