School: Emory University School of Law

This summer I had the opportunity to intern at the Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic. I remember being a little overwhelmed on my first day of work when I was given the Proposed Model Code to read and told that I would eventually write a white paper on the Child in Need of Services (CHINS) article. Needless to say, I was a little intimidated because I had no idea what this all meant. Nonetheless, with all of this new information and unrecognizable acronyms swimming around in my head, I attended my first JUSTGeorgia meeting, which only served to raise more questions and provide few answers. As I look back on how confused and baffled I was, I can now say that I have a much better understanding of the issues that child advocates contend with on a daily basis. At times, the picture is still fuzzy, particularly when more acronyms are being thrown around; however, my experience this summer has impressed upon me the importance of the work that child advocates are engaged in.

In working for a policy organization, my work this summer has been primarily research based. One of the main projects I worked on was writing a white paper on the CHINS article of the Proposed Model Code. The ultimate goal of the paper was to examine other states that had similar provisions to CHINS and then to make a recommendation of whether Georgia should or should not adopt this section. When I began my research, I was astounded by how little recent information there is about CHINS or similar frameworks. The two states that had the most research completed about their programs were New York and Massachusetts. I used these two states in order to compare and contrast the CHINS section of the Proposed Model Code as well as to show the effects that the implementation of such programs has had. My research led me to conclude that Georgia should adopt the CHINS provision, because it provided a new framework for status offenders.

I also conducted research on SB 440 to support JUSTGeorgia messaging tactics. I thought that this would be an easier topic to research due to its controversial nature. However, I discovered that although SB 440 may be continuously debated, the records in regards to this controversial law are not well kept. At this time, there is no accurate tracking method for SB 440 cases. Thus, it was difficult at times to find the answers to the questions that JUSTGeorgia sought. Additionally, I had the opportunity to research the Proposed Model Code's compatibility with the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), regarding CAPTA's requirement that in an abuse and neglect case the child be represented by a guardian ad litem. Although most of my work centered on JUSTGeorgia initiatives, I did have the opportunity to research topics, such as adoption codes, that were not related to JUSTGeorgia.

The work inside the office was balanced with events in the community that made the connection between the policy research and the actual people that the policy will effect. I volunteered at the Celebration of Excellence, a graduation celebration for foster care children. This event gave me the opportunity to speak with children who have been through the system. It was interesting to see the difference between a graduation celebration for foster care children and graduation festivities for a child who has supportive family. The tour of My House, a home for abused and or medically fragile infants, was one of my favorite events this summer. Donna Carson, the founder of the home, gave an informative background of the organization and the work that they do. We had the opportunity to tour the new facilities. I was extremely impressed by the quality of care that is provided to these infants, although their current situation makes one wonder what could have been done beforehand in order to prevent the results that we saw.

Near the end of my internship, I was able to attend the National Association of Counsel for Children conference in Savannah, Georgia. While there I was able to volunteer with the conference organizers. This was an interesting event to attend because there were individuals from all over the country who work in child advocacy. I attended sessions on the commercial sexual exploitation of children, children with immigration issues, as well as a session about psychiatry and representing a child client.

This summer I even had the opportunity to observe work outside of the field of child advocacy. Georgia is in the process of rewriting the evidence code. Much like the rewrite of the juvenile code, this project is expected to be important during the legislative session. I attended several committee meetings on the revision of the evidence code. Mainly, I attended in order to see if any discussions developed about juveniles and the evidence code. These meetings were interesting to attend, because it gave me a glimpse of what the rewrite of the juvenile code will have to contend with.

Overall, this summer has been an extremely rewarding experience. I am glad that I had the opportunity to work with all of the individuals in the Barton Clinic. The members of the clinic are extremely knowledgeable about topics surrounding child advocacy and are always more than willing to assist with any questions that I have. I feel that I have learned so much this summer and yet I know that there is still so much more to comprehend. My internship with the Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic has helped realize that somehow I want to be involved in child advocacy.