Children’s Justice Act

The Child Safety and Permanency Review Panel is responsible for granting out the Kansas allotment of The Children's Justice Act funds in accordance with Section 107(a) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). In carrying out its obligation for state fiscal year 2011, the Panel has voted to select several organizations to receive funding, instead of inviting public applications. These selected organizations will promote projects per CAPTA, section 107.

Grants are to be used to develop, establish, and operate programs designed to improve:

1. the handling of child abuse and neglect cases, particularly cases of child sexual abuse and exploitation, in a manner which limits additional trauma to the child victim;

2. the handling of cases of suspected child abuse or neglect related fatalities;

3. the investigation and prosecution of cases of child abuse and neglect, particularly child sexual abuse and exploitation; and

4. the handling of cases involving children with disabilities or serious health-related problems who are victims of abuse or neglect.

In particular, grant funds should be used to implement Panel (a.k.a. State Task Force) recommendations in the following three categories (the three categories from Section 107(e)(1)(A),(B) and (C) of the Act:

(A) investigative, administrative, and judicial handling of cases of child abuse and neglect, particularly child sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as cases involving suspected child maltreatment related fatalities and cases involving a potential combination of jurisdictions, such as interstate Federal-State, and State-Tribal, in a manner which reduces the additional trauma to the child victim and the victim's family and which also ensures procedural fairness to the accused;

(B) experimental, model, and demonstation programs for testing innovative approaches and techniques which may improve the prompt and successful resolution of civil and criminal court proceedings or enhance the effectiveness of judicial and administrative action in child abuse and neglect cases, particularly child sexual abuse and exploitation cases, including the enhancement of performance of court-appointed attorneys and guardians ad litem for children, and which also ensure procedural fairness to the accused; and

(C) reform of State laws, ordinances, regulations, protocols and procedures to provide comprehensive protection for children from abuse, particularly sexual abuse and exploitation, while ensuring fairness to all affected persons.

CJA funds should be used for programs to reform State systems and improve the processes by which States respond to cases of child abuse and neglect, particularly child sexual abuse and exploitation and cases of suspected child abuse or neglect related fatalities. This will enable States to deal more effectively with both the child victim and the offender and to limit additional trauma to the child victim.

The ongoing activities of a State Task Force in monitoring implementation of its recommendations and continuing interagency collaboration in carrying out the intent of the Act may be supported with these funds. Supporting child abuse prevention programs or treatment services is not an appropriate use of CJA funds.