Ballweg Bill Would Help Parents Facing Termination Of Parental Rights

State Representative Joan Ballweg this week introduced a bill that would create a pilot program to provide legal representation to parents whose children are the subject of a Child in Need of Protective Services petition. Ballweg serves on the Assembly Speaker’s Task Force on Foster Care, which introduced 13 policy initiatives to support children who are currently in the foster care system. Ballweg’s bill is one of those 13 policy initiatives. Another would help children who are aging out of the foster care system. It would help them with their post-secondary education creating support to help them be successful. Ballweg says the State of Washington has had success increasing the reuniting of families by providing legal representation to parents facing the termination of parental rights. Her bill is modeled after that effort. Brown, Outagamie, Winnebago, Racine and Kenosha counties would be involved in the three year pilot program.