Court Collaborations

OCFS and the Office of Court Administration (OCA) are committed to improving permanency outcomes for children in New York State. OCFS and the OCA Child Welfare Court Improvement Project (CWCIP) will work together to build effective collaboration between the Family Court and the social services districts with the highest foster care populations in the State through the Model Court Initiative. OCFS will support the development of enhanced court practices in the Family Courts and provide a process by which certain data maintained by both local departments of social services and Family Courts can be shared to evaluate the impact of innovations to promote improved outcomes for children.

OCFS and CWCIP have identified the following shared goals to improve court practices in support of New York State’s Program Improvement Plan:

Earlier time to permanency (reunification and adoption) will be aided by faster time to court adjudication and disposition in child abuse and neglect proceedings, and termination of parental rights. This will be supported by:
- Enhanced reporting of relevant data;
- Conferencing and mediation programs;
- Promoting that every Family Court appearance is meaningful;
- Allowing fewer and shorter adjournments;
- Encouraging all parties and attorneys to appear in family court on time and prepared for the scheduled proceedings and all required reports are submitted in a timely manner; and
- Once proceedings are commenced in Family Court, proceedings should be concluded expeditiously.
Children, youth, foster and adoptive parents, and caregivers will be provided notice of and the opportunity to participate in their permanency hearings.
Reviews of the appropriateness of permanency goals, and services to children, parents and foster parents will occur.
Families in recovery from alcohol and other drugs will benefit from the inclusion of treatment providers in local collaborations to enhance integrated case planning and coordination.