Background

The CWCIP is supported by a federal grant administered by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. Grants are awarded to states to support implementation of reforms in child welfare court practices.

New York State's Court Improvement Project began in 1994 and was administered from its inception through the fall of 2006 by the Permanent Judicial Commission on Justice for Children ("the Commission"). During 2006 federal funding for the CWCIP expanded to support additional training and data collection and analysis efforts prompting the Commission to recommend institutionalization of the operations of the CWCIP into the Office of Court Administration. The Child Welfare Court Improvement Project was then housed within the Division of Professional and Court Services.

The CWCIP works in strong partnership with the executive branch’s Office of Children and Family Services; local departments of social services; attorneys representing parents, children and the social service districts; service providers and other stakeholders.