Probate Court Pilot
In June 2000, the Bridgeport, Connecticut Division launched the West Haven Probate Court Project. For two years, Casey is replacing the state Department of Children and Families as the primary service provider on children's issues for the Probate Court of the District of West Haven. The pilot was initiated to address the long delays in getting referrals completed. "We hope to show that children and families are receiving more timely and better services," says Cynthia McCall, deputy director of the Bridgeport Division. "We also want to better educate the public about the needs of children and the referral process."

In just the first six months, the pilot has already had 54 referrals involving 43 families. The referrals included temporary custody, immediate temporary custody, terminations of parental rights, reinstatement, co-guardianship, visitations and adoptions. While a few cases were resolved in one or two months, most involved complicated family situations, including substance abuse and conflict about family issues.

"These are very fragile families. Unless there is some counseling and support they won't be able to maintain it over the long haul," says McCall. "Providing that support is a front-end way to keep children out of the child welfare system. It's also one less move for the child within that family environment."

"We're finding that it's not simply case assessments and recommendations to the court," says McCall. "We negotiate agreements so the child doesn't get caught in the middle." Social workers Joanna Korsh and Patricia Lugo, both MSWs with experience in the legal system, have provided a great deal of support by identifying numerous social service, mental health and developmental issues for the children and families. "We feel very good about this project," says McCall. "We are making things better for these children while collecting the data and refining the models that can help children in other courts and communities."

The next phase will be to move into another probate court to see how this model works in a different setting. Providing technical assistance to locate local agencies that could meet needs--from financial backup to children's social services-is another element of the project that will be refined during the pilot.