Court to award $290,000 for abuse programs

The Indiana Court Improvement Program has announced it will be giving away up to $290,000 in grants to programs that help
families and children involved in cases of neglect or abuse. The grants are funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services’ Administration for Children & Families. Applications are due July 1.

“This is an excellent opportunity for Juvenile Courts and other child welfare stakeholders to apply for funding for
innovative programs to help abused and neglected children in their counties,” Angela Reid-Brown, administrator of the
Court Improvement Program, said in a statement.

Individual grant awards are usually no larger than $25,000 to $35,000 and are intended to support program needs from Oct.
1, 2010, to Sept. 30, 2011. All grant funds must be used by Nov. 15, 2011.

There is also a match requirement. These grants from the Court Improvement Program can constitute up to 75 percent of the
total cost of the project. The additional 25 percent or more of program budgets – from in cash or in-kind sources –
must be from non-federal resources.

The following types of programs are eligible to receive the recently announced grants:

– CHINS and TPR mediation and facilitation programs

– CHINS mental health programs

– CHINS drug court programs

– CHINS and TPR training programs

– CHINS and TPR-related educational brochures, guides, and pamphlets

– Videoconferencing equipment for CHINS and TPR cases

– Court recording technology for CHINS and TPR cases

– Adopting and implementing court performance measures for CHINS and TPR cases

– Other projects that will further the goals of the Court Improvement Program.

The Indiana Supreme Court and members of the Court Improvement Program’s executive committee oversee how grants are
distributed. The Division of State Court Administration serves as the fiscal administrator of the federal grants and the Indiana
Judicial Center administers the program.

For these grants, a team will review applications and make their recommendations to the Court Improvement Program’s
executive committee, which makes the final decision.

The executive committee will be looking for how realistic and measurable the applicants’ goals are, whether there is
overlap between proposed programs and existing programs funded by Court Improvement Program grants, and other qualifications
outlined in the application.

Applications sent via e-mail are due to Reid-Brown, [email protected], by 4 p.m. (EDT) July 1. An original signed
application should also be mailed to the Indiana Judicial Center, Attention: Angela Reid-Brown, 30 S. Meridian St., Suite
900, Indianapolis, IN 46204.

For more information about the Court Improvement Program or for help in filling out the application, contact Reid-Brown at
(317) 232-1313 or via e-mail.