Direct involvement in juvenile dependency court leads to a greater understanding of the obstacles and frustrations faced by those who come before the court. Raising awareness and concern within the community for the problems facing juvenile courts can build support for lasting systemic reform. Involvement in court improvement should not be limited to organizations whose primary purpose is to work with children. Other groups may have an interest in systemic court reform, or their employees or members may have a personal desire to be involved.

In an effort to facilitate and increase this "grass roots" support, we have compiled a list of potential community partners for court improvement projects. This list comes from many different sources, including responses from the ABA's court improvement Internet discussion group. Many thanks to all those who shared their ideas!

Some of these suggestions may require you to locate the actual groups or local chapters in your jurisdiction. Naming specific organizations does not constitute an endorsement, and this list is not exhaustive. If you have additional ideas for successful collaboration, please share them with us and your state court improvement project.