Bucks Writs - Summer 2020 - 14

Children's
Advocacy
Initiative
By Judith Algeo

BUCKS COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
PRESIDENT DAN KEANE RECENTLY
ANNOUNCED AN EXCITING AND
AMBITIOUS NEW PROJECT FOR THE
BCBA. Planned in conjunction with the Bucks County

Judge James McMaster and District Attorney Matt
Weintraub have expressed both the need for and the
support of such a program.
Since March, my CAI committee co-chair Tim Barton and
I have worked with BCBA Executive Director Greg Nardi
and President Dan Keane to develop a framework for
the CAI including recruitment, training and fundraising.
A preliminary announcement of the Initiative in March
2020 elicited interest from 20 lawyers to serve as the first
volunteers for the program.

Bar Foundation, under the leadership of President Jessica
Pritchard, the Children's Advocacy Initiative (CAI) will
provide lawyers as Child Advocate or Guardian Ad Litem to
represent children involved in the justice system.
The CAI's mission is that no child should ever face the
court system alone without an Advocate standing beside
him or her, advocating for the child's needs and wishes.
The Bucks County Guardian Ad Litem's office currently
already handles the large and complex caseload of children
involved in the juvenile court dependency system. The
CAI intends to fill the gap for those children who are not
adjudicated dependent but involved in the court system
through no fault of their own. Initially the CAI's focus
will be on children serving as victim-witnesses in the
criminal justice system and children who are involved in
high-conflict custody cases. Family Court Administrative

The first volunteer training is anticipated in Fall 2020 with
a goal of volunteers being assigned cases by the end of
this year. If you are interested in serving as a volunteer
Child Advocate or Guardian Ad Litem or would like more
information, please contact Greg Nardi at: greg.nardi@
bucksbar.org. As we move closer to finalizing the training
plans and requirements, notices will be sent to those who
have indicated their interest. Please note, potential volunteers
will need to commit to six consecutive hours of training
before being assigned a case.

14
Bucks Writs - Summer 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Bucks Writs - Summer 2020
