LOUISIANA’s CIP Sponsorship and Child Representation Partnership In Louisiana, the Court Improvement Program (CIP) and one of the state’s child representation agencies (MHAS/CAP) both support and celebrate the CWLS community. The CIP underwrites the cost of registration for the Red Book Training Course, CWLS application fees for children’s attorneys, parent’s counsel, agency counsel, assistant district attorneys as well as juvenile court judges, and recertification fees. Support is provided from CIP funds as a part of its goal of improving the quality of legal representation for attorneys in child welfare cases.
Since 2014, MHAS/CAP has offered attorneys time to take the Red Book Training Course and study for the exam, as well as providing mentors/tutors upon request. Additionally, MHAS/CAP gives a one-time bonus of $2,500 (funded by federal Title IV-E monies) when an attorney becomes a CWLS, as well as an additional $2,500 bonus for recertification. MHAS/CAP explains, “We have found that the CWLS attorneys have more success in finding otherwise untapped resources and ideas to help the children and families we serve. They are able to be creative with problem-solving, which is valuable to the clients.” CWLS-certified attorneys are also recognized at Louisiana’s annual child welfare conference.