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Learn more about the Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children, and the Courts' news and events

CFCC also has numerous publications, which include newsletters, articles, reports, and books, some of which are currently for sale. Please visit our publications page for a full list of CFCC's published materials.

News

  • December 2012 - CFCC has received a $300,000 grant for expansion of the Truancy Court Program (TCP) from the AT&T Aspire Program.

    Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake joined AT&T Mid-Atlantic President J. Michael Schweder, Circuit Court Judge David Young, Baltimore City Public Schools administrator Karen Webber-Ndour, Dean Ronald Weich, Professor Barbara Babb, and other local and university guests at the University of Baltimore on December 3 to announce a $300,000 AT&T Aspire grant to support CFCC’s Truancy Court Program (TCP).  The grant is being used to help develop, implement, and analyze the TCP in four Baltimore City schools that serve eighth and/or ninth graders. As a result of the grant, the program can add enhanced case management and training for school administrators and faculty on how to intervene if a student is truant.  CFCC is one of 47 recipients nationwide that were awarded funding under AT&T Aspire this year, one of the largest corporate commitments in the United States focused on helping more students graduate from high school ready for college and careers. 

     Click here to view a listing of the media outlets that covered this news, including local television and radio stations, the Daily Record,  Baltimore Brew, and Baltimore Business Journal.  We at CFCC are deeply grateful for the generous grant and for the community and media support we have received.

  • CFCC has published the 6th issue of its Truancy Court Program (TCP) E-Newsletter in November 2012.

    This issue features articles on:

    • CFCC Receives Significant New Funding to Expand and Enhance the Truancy Court Program in 2012-2013
    • The TCP's Many Moving Parts
    • The TCP Improves Attendance, Increases Self-Esteem, Improves Relationships, and Affects School-Wide Attendance
    • An Introduction to TCP’s New Staff
    • News on TCP’s Recent Recognitions, Including Harvard’s Bright Ideas Award and a Feature in Urbanite Magazine

  • November 2012 - CFCC has received a $60,000 grant for the Truancy Court Program (TCP) from the Charles Crane Family Foundation.

    This grant is especially meaningful for CFCC, as the Crane Foundation was our first TCP funder in 2004, allowing us to launch the initiative. They have funded the program every year since 2004, and we are extremely grateful for their belief in and support of the TCP.

  • CFCC has published the 4th issue of its Full Court Press E-Newsletter in September 2012.

    This 4th issue includes:

    • An interview with Connie Kratovil-Lavelle, Executive Director of the Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts Department of Family Administration
    • A summary of CFCC’s Fourth Urban Child Symposium
    • A discussion of Collaborative Law
    • A review of CFCC’s 2012-2013 Truancy Court Program

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  • CFCC has published and distributed the 11th issue (Summer 2012) of its popular Unified Family Court Connection newsletter in June 2012.

    This 11th issue focuses on a plenary session, “Promising Practices in Family Law,” from the October 2012 ABA Section of Family Law Continuing Legal Education Program and includes the following articles:

      • “Promising Practices in Family Law Cases Help Ease Impact of Divorce” by Judge J. Stephen Schuster
      • "Divorce Practices Must Aim to Protect the Children” by Jenny Schulz
      • “Creative Uses of Alternative Dispute Resolution Techniques in Family Law Litigation Produce Better Outcomes” by Carlton D. Stansbury
      • “Domestic Violence Trials: Minimizing the Impact on the Children is Essential” by Rick DeMichele

    For a paper copy of the newsletter or to be added to the mailing list, please email cfcc@ubalt.edu.

  • CFCC has published its Benchbook on Substance Abuse and Addiction for Family Courts .

    CFCC's Benchbook on Substance Abuse and Addiction for Family Courts provides information of interest and relevance to family court judges, judicial officers, attorneys, and court staff who are called to deal, directly and indirectly, with substance abuse issues on a daily basis. Please see our information sheet for details and ordering information.

  • CFCC has completed the "Final Report on the Families Matter Symposium" held at the University of Baltimore in June, 2010.

    The Families Matter initiative is a major, multi-year undertaking designed to develop legal practice methods and approaches to reduce the destructive consequences of the family legal process.  Co-sponsored by the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Family Law and CFCC, the initiative is designed to respond to the need for deep and meaningful reform of the family law process. 

Upcoming Events

  • April 19, 2013 - CFCC Director Barbara Babb will be speaking at a symposium honoring Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Robert M. Bell

    The Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) and the Friends of the Honorable Robert M. Bell Committee will host a statewide two-day event, April 18 and 19, 2013, in honor of the retirement of Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Robert M. Bell. Professor Barbara Babb will be speaking at the symposium on Friday morning. For more information or to register, please contact Wanda Claiborne at wclaiborne@msba.org or 410.685.7878.

  • May 31, 2013 – CFCC Director Barbara Babb will make a presentation at the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) 50th Anniversary Conference in Los Angeles, CA

    AFCC is hosting its 50th anniversary conference, “Riding the Wave of the Future: Global Voices, Expanding Choices,” in Los Angeles, California. CFCC Director Barbara Babb will be a presenter at the “Catching the Wave: Family Courts Engage with Transformative Change” conference workshop on Friday, May 31. Additional information about the conference can be found on AFCC’s website.

  • May/June 2013 – CFCC moves to the new John and Frances Angelos Law Center

    In late spring, CFCC will join the rest of the law school in the brand new state-of-the-art John and Frances Angelos Law Center. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Elena Kagan will join Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Robert M. Bell, and a host of state, local and federal officials and legal luminaries for several grand opening events throughout the month of April. The building is located at the intersection of Charles Street and Mt. Royal Avenue. For more information, please visit the School of Law’s webpage dedicated to this new and transformative building.

Recent Events

  • April 4, 2013 – CFCC’s 5th Annual Urban Child Symposium

    This year’s Urban Child Symposium, “A Holistic Approach to the Urban Child’s Trauma: From the Eyes of the Beholder,” addressed the importance of considering exposure to childhood trauma when developing more effective means to address the problems that urban children and their families face. For more information, or to watch the podcasts of the event, please visit our Urban Child Symposium page.

  • February 12, 2013 – Truancy Court Program Stakeholders Meeting

    Funded by the AT&T Aspire program, CFCC held a stakeholders’ meeting to engage community partners. Child advocates, social workers, judges, police officers, attorneys, court administrators, and others recommended ways to collaborate with the TCP. Moving forward, CFCC plans to reach out to these and other partners to develop a comprehensive approach to address the needs of truant children and their families.

  • December 2012 – Truancy Court Program Graduations

    The Truancy Court Program will hold graduations in its eight Baltimore City schools and one Montgomery County school throughout December. Students who improve their attendance by 65% or more and demonstrate improved academics and behavior will graduate from the program and receive certificates and prizes. Typically, the majority of students graduate, and any students who do not are re-enrolled in the Spring session for continued attention to attendance issues.

  • December 3, 2012 - Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, AT&T Mid-Atlantic President J. Michael Schweder, Baltimore City Public Schools administrator Karen Webber-Ndour, Circuit Court Judge David Young, School of Law Dean Ron Weich, and CFCC Director Barbara Babb joined invited guests to announce a 2-year, $300,000 grant from the AT&T Aspire program to expand the operation of CFCC’s Truancy Court Program to four Baltimore City schools serving eighth and/or ninth graders.

    The announcement garnered significant media attention, which you can view here. CFCC is extremely grateful to AT&T for this generous support, and we thank everyone who attended the event.

  • December 3-6, 2012 – In collaboration with the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), CFCC held two trainings for professionals who work with families and children.

    December 3-4 - Mindy Mitnick, EdM, MA, presented “Intractable Issues in Child Custody Disputes.” December 5-6 - Christine A. Coates, MEd, JD, presented “Parenting Coordination: Working with High Conflict Families.” Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make these trainings very successful.

Press

  • April 1, 2013 – The Daily Record published “UB Law’s Urban Child Symposium to Focus on Trauma” by Joe Surkiewicz

    CFCC’s Fifth Annual Urban Child Symposium is the subject of an April 1 Daily Record feature. The article sets the stage for the symposium, entitled “A Holistic Approach to the Urban Child’s Trauma: From the Eyes of the Beholder,” slated for Thursday, April 4. The interdisciplinary symposium will address the importance of considering exposure to childhood trauma when developing more effective means to confront the problems that urban children and their families face.

  • October 22, 2012 – The Daily Record published “Truancy Court Aims to Keep Youngsters out of Bigger Problems” by Steve Lash.

    CFCC’s Truancy Court Program is the subject of an October 22 Daily Record feature. The articles focuses on the TCP’s positive effect on truant students in Baltimore City and Montgomery County, Maryland. Professor Barbara A. Babb, CFCC Director, and TCP volunteer judges, including Judge Catherine O’Malley, Judge James Sarsfield, and Assistant State’s Attorney George Simms, explain the importance of an early intervention, non-punitive, and holistic approach to address the reasons why students are missing school.

  • CFCC’s Truancy Court Program Named a ‘Bright Idea’ by Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government

    The Truancy Court Program developed by the University of Baltimore School of Law Center for Families, Children and the Courts has been recognized by the Ash Center for Democratic Governance at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, as a Bright Idea..

  • University of Baltimore Press Release - Urban Child Symposium - "The Beginning or the End? The Urban Child's Experience in the Juvenile Justice System," April 12, 2012

    The University of Baltimore issued a press release detailing the fourth annual Urban Child Symposium, including a schedule of events, participant list, and information on registration and accommodations.

  • June 14, 2011 - "Truancy Court Program Needs a Few Good Judges" by Joe Surkiewicz

    The Maryland Daily Record published a column by Joe Surkiewicz profiling the Truancy Court Program and describing volunteer opportunities for Maryland judges.

Want to learn more about CFCC's activities? CFCC's news archives are available.