Justice + Joy’s advocacy efforts to change broken and biased policies and systems is grounded in collaboration and cross system approaches that follow the leadership of those most impacted by them in local communities across the country.
2018
Family First Prevention Services Act
Successfully advocated for the inclusion of expectant and parenting youth as an eligible population for prevention services and residential care specializing in the needs of pregnant and parenting youth as an exempt category from Qualified Residential Treatment Program requirements. This was a historic acknowledgement of the unique needs of child welfare-involved young parents and their children.
2018
Trauma Informed Care for Children and Families Act
Introduced by Senators Durbin (D-IL), Heitkamp (D-ND), Franken (D-MN), and Representative Danny Davis (D-IL), the Act was the first-ever legislation focused on addressing trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) at the federal level. National Crittenton provided input on the legislation from the beginning stages of drafting and assisted with advocacy efforts. Elements of this legislation were eventually passed into law, including the creation of a federal task force on trauma.
2014
Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act
Successfully advocated for the addition of the unprecedented requirement for states to report the numbers of expectant and parenting youth in foster care.
In Progress
RISE from Trauma Act
(Sen. Durbin (D-IL) and Murkowski (R-AK)): bipartisan legislation to increase support for children who have been exposed to ACEs and trauma.
In Progress
PUSHOUT Act
(Rep. Pressley): informed by Dr. Monique Morris’s work on school pushout among Black and Brown girls, the bill acknowledges the harmful ways in which Black and Brown girls are criminalized and over-policed at school and aims to disrupt the school-to-confinement pathway.
In Progress
Strong Children Act
(Rep. Pressley) – not yet introduced: would create a federal grant program to test new approaches to improve outcomes for children in communities with high prevalence of childhood trauma and ACEs.
19-123 Fulton v. Philadelphia
The case involves Catholic Social Services suing Philadelphia following the City’s decision to stop contracting with foster care providers that turn away same-sex prospective foster parents
