tIP
Chins and TIP
By Caren Cloud
Truancy Intervention Project of Georgia
[email protected]
F
or most, the anticipation of a new year is always
accompanied by excitement of things to come. For
child advocates across Georgia, January 1, 2014
represented the culmination of many years of hard work
and dedication as the new Juvenile Code became a living,
breathing body of law. With the new code now in effect,
juvenile courts statewide are working on improving current
procedures as well as implementing new processes.
Much of the interest and enthusiasm for the new code has
been in support of Article 5, which deals with Children in Need
of Services (CHINS), formerly status cases. TIP has been
instrumental in the development of new policy and intake
procedures for CHINS cases in Fulton County. Of particular
note is the creation of an Education Recovery Program (ERP)
to address cases that come to the court alleging truancy or
a violation of Georgia’s compulsory attendance law. Prior
to the filing of a formal complaint, all cases will be referred
to the ERP for intervention and services. Though still in the
development stages, the goal of the program is to convene the
child, parent, school social worker, DFCS and TIP volunteer
to create a workable intervention plan for the child that will
address the issues causing the absences. The plan will
include responsibilities for all parties to further the objective
of decreasing student’s absences while increasing his/her
potential for overall success in school and in the community.
TIP volunteers will serve as advocates at this early stage
of intervention on truancy matters and work with the family
to encourage participation in services and cooperation with
school efforts to support the child’s progress. If any truancy
matter advances to a formal proceeding, the TIP volunteer,
if an attorney, can remain on the case as the child’s legal
counsel.
For more information on the implementation of these
provisions in Fulton County, please contact Staff Attorney,
Caren Cloud at (404) 613-4737 or [email protected].
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THE ATLANTA LAWYER
March 2014
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association