Washington Court Improvement Program

Washington’s Court Improvement Program (CIP) is a federally funded initiative that focuses on enhancing the ability of Superior Courts to effectively resolve cases involving child maltreatment and supporting systemic improvements, program initiatives, and ongoing training designed to result in better outcomes for children, families and professionals involved in child dependency cases. We are committed to promoting continuous quality improvement to implement best practices that advance meaningful, equitable, inclusive, and ongoing collaboration among court communities to achieve safety, permanency, and well-being for children and families. CIP accomplishes these goals through close collaboration with key court, legal, child welfare and system partners, including the Superior Court judicial officers and court staff, Department of Children, Youth & Families, Attorney General’s Office, Office of Public Defense, Office of Civil Legal Aid, Washington Association for Child Advocate Programs, Parents for Parents and many more.

Federal CIP Background

All 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico participate in the federal Court Improvement Program (CIP) administered by the Children’s Bureau of the US Department of Health and Human Services. The grant program was established in 1994 as a response to the dramatic increase in child abuse and neglect cases and the expanded role of courts in achieving stable, permanent homes for children in foster care. Under the original grants, the recipients completed a detailed self-assessment, developed recommendations to improve the juvenile court system and worked towards implementing the recommended reforms. The Promoting Safe and Stable Families Amendments of 2001 reauthorized the Court Improvement Program through federal fiscal year 2006. The scope of the program is now expanded to (1) include improvements that recipients deem necessary to provide for the safety, well-being and permanence of children in foster care, as set forth in the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA); and (2) implement a corrective action plan, as necessary, in response to findings identified in a child and family services review of the State’s child welfare system. For more information on Court Improvement Programs nationally, please click here.

Washington State’s CIP Background

CIP has existed in Washington State since 2013. The program oversees the application for and distribution of federal grant funds, facilitates cross-system change efforts and provides resources, training and technical assistance to courts and system partners. It is overseen by the multi-disciplinary Washington State Supreme Court Commission on Children in Foster Care (CCFC), co-chaired by Washington State Supreme Court Justice Barbara Madsen and Secretary Ross Hunter, Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), and staffed by the Administrative Office of the Courts’ Family & Youth Justice Programs (FYJP).

Meet the Team

Priority Areas

Child Safety

Training and technical assistance to help court communities develop a common understanding and language to clearly and consistently articulate safety-related information.

Quality Court Hearings

A Hearing Quality Observation Tool that captures relevant data points and provides valuable insights into the implementation of new HB 1227 practices during the Shelter Care Hearing.

Quality Legal Representation

Increasing capacity of judicial officers and attorneys to engage in quality reasonable and active efforts inquiries and decision-making at the appropriate points in the case.

Engagement

Educate system leaders, partners, youth, and lived experts in the basics of the science of hope and the benefits of implementing the science.

ICWA/Tribal Collaboration

Increase dependency court system alignment with quality ICWA practices and increase capacity of court communities to effectively collaborate with local tribal court systems.