The Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health (JCMH) and Texas Indigent Defense Commission (TIDC) have upcoming opportunities available throughout the state. For more information, please see the announcements and links below.

The Texas JCMH plans to hold 5 juvenile justice SIM Mapping workshops in 2025. Applications for Youth SIM Mapping workshops are now available on the JCMH website.

Youth SIM Mapping is a helpful tool for communities that are interested in developing a detailed picture of how youth with behavioral health needs move through the juvenile justice system; identifying system gaps and local resources for justice-involved youth; creating shared priorities to improve systems and service responses for justice-involved youth; generating action plans to implement the priorities; and increasing cross-system communication and collaboration.

After the workshop, communities will receive a detailed report (including all identified resources, gaps, and best practices), a systems map, an Executive Summary, and copies of all local Action Plans. Questions? Email JCMH staff at jcmh@txcourts.gov. 

The Texas Indigent Defense Commission is pleased to introduce the 2024 Family Protection Representation Mentorship Program, a one-year project designed to improve representation and support child welfare law practitioners. This call for applications is for both prospective mentors and mentees.

Over a period of one-year, experienced attorneys handling appointments in child welfare cases will be paired with an assigned mentee. Mentees will be attorneys who are new to the practice of representing children and/or indigent parents in child welfare cases.

Mentors will provide mentees guidance and will meet at least once a month, towards the goal of improving the quality of representation for children and indigent parents and creating community for attorneys who accept child welfare appointments. Participants will be provided free quarterly remote training sessions in areas relevant to the practice of child welfare law.

Eligibility Criteria:

1. Mentor applicants must be licensed to practice law in the state of Texas, with at least 5 years accepting appointments in child welfare cases representing parents and/or children;
2. Mentor applicants must have tried at least one jury or bench trial representing a parent or child; and
3. Mentor applicants must have completed at least one training program on trauma-informed care, prioritizing client-centered representation.
4. Mentee applicants must be licensed to practice law in the state of Texas and actively accepting appointments in child welfare cases in at least one Texas county.

Why should you do this?

The TIDC Mentorship Program offers several benefits and opportunities for both mentees and mentors, including:

1. Mentees will have access to experienced mentors who can guide and support them in achieving their professional goals.
2. Program participants will receive quarterly training and workshops in areas relevant to their interests and the practice.
3. Program participants will have the opportunity to network with other mentors and mentees and collaborate on issues relevant to their practice.
4. Program participants will have the opportunity to contribute to raising the bar of representation in child welfare law, creating a community of likeminded advocates and leaders in the field of practice.
5. Mentors will have the opportunity to share their expertise and experience with attorneys new to the practice and contribute to their development.

Extended Deadline: August 9, 2024

Prospective mentors can apply here.

Prospective mentees can apply here.

For questions, please email Natalie Corvington at NCorvington@tidc.texas.gov.

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For a complete list of Resource Letters, please visit the Children's Commission webpage. Information provided by the Children’s Commission should not be read as a commentary by the Supreme Court of Texas or any other court. The Children’s Commission website is not equipped to facilitate dialogue or conversation about matters related to the information in this communique. For more information about the Children’s Commission, please visit our website.

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