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Juvenile Judges
Train To Help Ohio’s Youngest
By Jenna Gant
May 5, 2015
Judges who preside over cases for Ohio’s youngest citizens recently
participated in the first two Safe and Together Regional training
seminars in Dayton and Columbus. Dozens of Ohio juvenile judges worked
on best practices for working with children whose lives are turned
upside down due to domestic violence.
The seminars focused on strengthening the judicial system’s response to
domestic violence cases when it impacts a child’s safety and
well-being. The judges talked with their justice partners, including
guardians ad litem, prosecutors, and child advocacy center and child
protection services staff, among others, about domestic violence
practices that promoted child welfare in their courts.
This discussion was followed by other community conversations that
examined creative, cost-effective responses to children experiencing
domestic violence. At the end of the day, each judge-led county team
left with an action plan and defined tasks to improve domestic violence
practices.
Judge Elizabeth Gill of the Franklin County Domestic Relations and
Juvenile Court participated in the Columbus training panel presentation
and said “collaboration among community stakeholders is critical.”
“Judges have the ability to bring justice partners to the table to
ensure the best interest of children remains central to all
recommendations,” Judge Gill said.
Endorsed by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, the judges
and their justice partners discussed the Safe and Together™ Model,
which is the guide children services should use when applying the
“differential response” approach to child abuse cases involving
domestic violence in the home. This model focuses on child safety and
welfare as primary concerns for all justice partners and explores the
offending parent’s abusive behaviors and the non-offending parent’s
protective behaviors.
One panelist in the Dayton seminar, juvenile judge Anthony Capizzi,
said Montgomery County already uses alternative response by
collaborating with its local partners.
“As we have implemented these programs, our goal has always been to
make sure they complement one another’s work. This provides better
information to the court and lets me ask more meaningful questions,
which results in better-informed decisions from the bench,” Judge
Capizzi said.
Juvenile judges and their justice partners in northwest and northeast
Ohio can register for the Safe and Together Regional Training seminar
in their area through Judicial eCademy. The regional meetings will be
held in Perrysburg (Toledo-area) on May 19 and Fairlawn (Akron-area) on
May 20. Judges and attorneys who attend the seminar can receive up to
4.5 CJE and CLE credit hours, respectively, and professionals requiring
social work credits may receive 4.5 continuing professional education
hours. Questions about the upcoming trainings can be directed to Diana
Ramos-Reardon at 614.387.9408 or diana.ramos-reardon@sc.ohio.gov.
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