Support House Bill 2381
Requires the court to appoint an attorney to represent a child who is the subject of child in need of care proceeding and allows for the optional appointment of a guardian ad litem.
In-Person Testimony Darcy Olsen, CEO and Founder The Center for the Rights of Abused Children
House Committee on the Judiciary, Room 582-N Thursday, February 16, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. CST
Chair Patton, Vice Chair Schreiber, and Committee Members: Good afternoon, I am Darcy Olsen, and I serve as the CEO and Founder of The Center for the Rights of Abused Children. Our mission is to protect children, change laws, and inspire people - to ensure every abused child has a bright future.
It should come as no surprise to you that significant swaths of our nation’s child protection system need substantial improvement. Our proposed reforms seek to mend flaws in the foster care system. When asked by lawmakers across the country for the single reform that will help protect the most foster children, my answer is always the same – attorney representation for children in the foster system.
And here’s why it matters in Kansas.