August 2000

TeamChild Receives National Juvenile Justice Award

TeamChild, an advocacy program for youth in Washington, was presented with a National Juvenile Justice Award by the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Centennial Juvenile Court Initiative.

OJJDP/JCCI recognized TeamChild for its "promotion of young people's emotional, physical, mental and spiritual health, and well being." Working with the courts, social services and community health providers, TeamChild uses civil legal advocacy to address the problems underlying criminal behavior. By securing young people's rights to education, mental health benefits and treatment, safe living situations and other social services, TeamChild helps offer opportunities for success and access alternatives to locking up juvenile offenders.

TeamChild started in Washington in 1995 and now has offices in King, Pierce, Spokane and Yakima Counties. The program is the collaborative effort of Columbia Legal Services, the Seattle King County Public Defender Association, and the Washington Defender Association, as well as many other private and public entities. The TeamChild model of advocacy is now being replicated across the country, with more than 15 similar offices in place and others in the works.

The awards ceremony was held in Washington, D.C., on June 6 in conjunction with the National Juvenile Justice Summit. Attended by public officials, juvenile justice experts and children's advocates from around the nation, the Summit brought together leading thinkers and practitioners in juvenile justice to chart the future of juvenile court.

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