Judicial Community of Practice
The Judicial Community of Practice (JCoP) is a monthly, virtual peer-learning opportunity for judicial officers who hear child dependency cases.
Come learn about the best-practices being used in dependency courts and talk with your peers about what they are doing in their courts. Whether you’re new to the bench or have years of experience hearing child welfare cases, we invite you to participate in this exciting opportunity!
JCoP sessions are led by one of our expert Jurists-in-Residence, who are retired judicial officers with years of experience hearing child dependency cases. The sessions are topic-focused and include a Dependency Practice Tip that is sent out prior to each session. JCoP creates a confidential space for judicial officers to freely engage in discussion, ask questions, and receive support – which is why sessions are never recorded.
Click Below to Register
Registration for JCoP is limited to Judges and Court Commissioners.
2024 Schedule
Date | Topic | Facilitator |
---|---|---|
January 17th | Making Findings in Dependency and Termination Cases Guest Expert: Hon. Beth Andrus (ret.), WA Court of Appeals – Division I | Retired Judge Helen Halpert |
February 21st | Protective Factors for Families Guest Experts: DCYF Strengthen Families Locally Program | Retired Judge Anne Hirsch |
March 20th | Community-Based Services & Support Guest Experts: DCYF Strengthen Families Locally Program | Commissioner Heather Shand |
April 17th | Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Guest Expert: Elizabth Baldwin & Jessica Castellanos, Senior Attorney, Kids in Need of Defense PowerPoint Slides | Retired Judge Helen Halpert |
May 15th | Protein for All Guest Expert: Dr. Kristen Allott | Retired Judge Anne Hirsch |
August 21st | Transitions for Infants: Reducing Harm of Removal Guest Expert: Julie Fisher | TBD |
September 18th | Dependency Timelines: Improving Time to Fact-Finding Guest Expert: Jennifer Nguyen, AOC | TBD |
October 16th | Barriers to Permanency Guest Experts: Foster Care Assessment Program (FCAP) | TBD |
November 20th | TBD | TBD |
Previous Years
For more information about the Judicial Community of Practice, please contact Laura Vogel, Child Welfare Training and Court Improvement Specialist at laura.vogel@courts.wa.gov