Montana State Legislature
Court System for Dependency & Neglect Task Force
Senate Bill 182 established the Task Force on the Dependency and Neglect Court System to determine whether a separate dependency and neglect court system or the existing court system, with enhancements, would best serve children, families, and other participants involved in dependency and neglect court proceedings.
This webpage is the official repository of task information, including presentation aids, documents, meeting minutes, and exhibits.
This task force focuses on the dependency and neglect court system. To express concerns regarding other child welfare issues, please submit comment to the Children, Families, Health, and Human Services Interim Committee.
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Meeting information
Task Force meetings are open to the public.
All meetings are streamed and archived under the "Watch & Listen" tab of the leg.mt.gov site.
FUTURE MEETING DATES
There are no further meetings scheduled.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Committee members are appointed in accordance with SB 182 section 1, subsection (2).
- Senator Dennis Lenz (chair)
- Senator Ellie Boldman (vice chair)
- Representative Jennifer Carlson
- Representative SJ Howell
- Judge Rienne McElyea – district court judge appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court
- Jessica Finley – Missoula County Deputy Attorney (a county attorney or their representative)
- Jon Kadner – law enforcement officer
- Rachel Green – Health Care Policy Advisor, Governor’s Office (representative from the governor’s office)
- Wamnee Ereaux – tribal member with experience relating to the Indian Child Welfare Act
- Jennifer Owen – a member of the public experienced with the dependency and neglect court system
- Kelly Driscoll – Family Defense Bureau Chief, Office of State Public Defender (representative of the office of state public defender)
- Nikki Grossberg – Child and Family Services Administrator, Department of Public Health and Human Services (representative of the department of public health and human services)
STAFF
- Griffin Burns, Research Analyst
- Jolanda Songer, Secretary
PAST MEETING MATERIALS
Agenda
Meeting Minutes
Audio / Video
CASA Network & Standards
- National CASA/GAL - Standards for Local Non-Profit Programs 2020
- State - Standards for CASA/GAL 2018
- MTCASA Service Map
Children’s Bureau Concept
EPS Hearing Consistency and Standards Workshop Discussion
Legislation: PD002, Revise Laws Relating to EPS & Show Cause Hearings
Task Force Recommendations & Final Report Work Session
Final
Agenda (Updated 7/18/2024)
Meeting Minutes
Audio / Video
MEETING MATERIALS
District Court Expenditures
Panel Discussion, District Court Judges
Agenda
Meeting Minutes
Audio / Video
1. Court System Costs and Related Fiscal Information Update
3. Dependency and Neglect Prosecution Considerations
4. Office of Child and Family Ombudsman Responsibilities and Services
Agenda
Meeting Minutes
Audio / Video
1. Court Improvement Project
2. Court System Costs and Related Fiscal Information
3. Prevention Plans & Family - CFSD Interactions Prior to Legal Action
4. Citizens' Review Board Act
- Presentation
- CRB Act: Montana's Proven Solution
- Minnesota Citizen Review Panel
- Idaho Citizen Review Panel
- Oregon Citizen Review Board
- Kentucky Foster Care Review Boards
- Case Weights Across Districts
- CAPTA Policy Manual Update
- Resource with Names of Interested Persons
- Report excerpts of SCMT
5. Work Session
6. Public Comment
Agenda
Meeting Minutes
Audio / Video