Applications are now being accepted to offer legal representation for at-risk families involved with the child welfare system.

Applications are now being accepted to offer legal representation for at-risk families involved with the child welfare system.

The Ohio Supreme Court is now accepting grant applications to support legal representation pilot projects that deliver legal representation to families at risk of involvement or involved with the child welfare system.

Eligible applicants are Ohio juvenile courts, county public children services agencies, regional legal aid offices, county public defender’s offices, Ohio law schools, social work schools or universities, or any Ohio community entity positioned to support a pre-petition /or multi-disciplinary legal representation model. 

The funds are available as a result of a collaboration with Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS). The Ohio Court Improvement Program provides federal funds and ODJFS is contributing from its Children’s Justice Act federal grant.

The pilot was developed as a result of Gov. Mike DeWine’s Children’s Transformation Advisory Council’s recommendations to provide legal representation to families to prevent out-of-home placement and safely maintain children in their homes, or to shorten the time to permanency for children removed from their homes.

Applicants can consider two best-practice models of multi-disciplinary legal representation or petition legal representation for their pilot effort. Applicants have the opportunity to apply for up to $100,000 the first year with possible additional funding for up to four years.

Applications are due June 25. Awards will be announced July 15. Pilot projects are anticipated to start in August.

Details about the application process are available on the Supreme Court’s website.