The Children's Justice Initiative (CJI) is a collaboration between the Minnesota Judicial Branch and the Minnesota Department of Human Services. These two state entities work closely with the local juvenile courts, court administrators, social services agencies, county attorneys, guardians ad litem, attorneys for parents and children, tribes, and other key stakeholders in each of Minnesota's 87 counties. The overall objectives are to timely find safe, stable, permanent homes for abused and neglected children, first through reunification with the child's parents if that is safe or, if not, through another permanent placement option, and to improve child well-being. When identifying and implementing improvements, the goal is for all stakeholders to operate "through the eyes of the child" so as to achieve child safety, permanency, and well-being.
Response to COVID-19
Minnesota's court and child protection systems are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in a way that balances public health and safety with access to courts in order to continue monitoring child protection cases to ensure the safety, well-being, and best interests of each child. Following are links to state, federal, and national resources and tools that are available to support this work in consideration of COVID-19 guidance.
Visit the
COVID-19 page for more information and links to additional resources. In particular, see the COVID-19 Resources from other organizations link at the bottom of the page.