Read this week's blog post, The 2016 NACC Fund Drive: Help Support the Organization that Supports Child Advocates by H.D.Kirkpatrick, President of NACC's Board of Directors

Attention advocates! We’re continuing our series of scholarships to promote diversity with our Young Lawyers Scholarship. At least one applicant will receive full funding to apply for certification. Deadline is October 31st.

NPR
What does it mean to declare that #blacklivesmatter in education?

Last month the Movement for Black Lives, representing elements of the Black Lives Matter movement and related groups, issued a detailed policy platform denouncing what it called "corporate-backed," "market driven" "privatization" in school reform, and helped set off a furor over this question.

MedicalXpress
Scientists have uncovered a unique feature of the adolescent brain that enriches teens' ability to learn and form memories: the coordinated activity of two distinct brain regions. This observation, which stands in contrast to the adult brain, may be related to teens' oft-derided affinity for reward-seeking behavior. These findings suggest that such behavior is not necessarily detrimental, but instead may be a critical feature of adolescence and the maturing brain.

The National Campaign
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy has been assessing public sentiment on a number of topics for two decades. One of the most consistent findings over the years has been the power of parental influence. Specifically, in survey after survey, teens say parents most influence their decisions about sex.

OJJDP
Today, nearly 30 percent of juveniles arrested are girls or young women and their share of arrests, detainment, and court cases has steadily increased over the past two decades. Unfortunately their stories remain unchanged.

The Atlantic
The short documentary Little Dream Catchers takes us to White Earth Nation in Minnesota—the state’s largest tribe with over 20,000 members. There, communities have been affected by drug addiction and unemployment, as well as a loss of culture due to forced assimilation for hundreds of years.

JJIE
Media coverage surrounding high-profile cases of campus sexual assault, officer-involved shootings, domestic violence and other incidents in recent months is sparking a national discussion around the experience of victims within our justice system and larger society.

Our email listserv and professional forum gives members access to child and family law professionals from all over the country. To join, send an email to NACC-Subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Karen Langsley, JD, CWLS

Originally from California, Karen is one of the first 11 attorneys to be certified in Texas as a Child Welfare Law Specialist. She currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Texas State Bar Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect. Karen is extremely proud to have served as a court appointed family attorney for several Child Welfare "cluster courts" throughout Central Texas from 2004 until this year, when she relocated to the Denver area.  Karen's NACC profile can be viewed here.

A big welcome to our newest group members, Washoe Legal Services in Reno, Nevada!