CASCW Executive Director Dr. Traci LaLiberte has been selected to be part of the new Supreme Court Council on Child Protection and Maltreatment Prevention.
This week, Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson signed off on an order to officially establish the Supreme Court Council on Child Protection and Maltreatment Prevention. The order also identified the members who will serve on the council, including Dr. LaLiberte and many other child welfare colleagues and partners from the community.
“This Council is composed of an incredible group of respected experts who will bring an important breadth of perspectives and voices from across Minnesota to the table. I look forward to the dialogue, the collaboration and accomplishing the goals that have been identified for this group,” said Dr. Traci LaLiberte.
The Council will be chaired by Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice Anne McKeig. Justice McKeig’s term is effective immediately and will run through January 15, 2026.
“Justice McKeig has a staunch commitment to child welfare, and her decades of experience in this field – both as a practitioner and a jurist – will be invaluable to everyone on the Council and to the people of Minnesota,” said Chief Justice Hudson.
The Minnesota Legislature established the Council on Child Protection and Maltreatment Prevention during the 2024 legislative session to:
- Review policies, laws, practices, latest research, and data related to children in the child protection system.
- Gather information from people about their lived experience with the child protection system.
- Review research that evaluates the effects of child foster care placement and out-of-home placement on children.
- Make recommendations for changes in policies and law that are designed to improve outcomes for children and families in the child protection system or at risk of maltreatment.
- Recognize the inherent sovereignty of Tribal Nations and the unique political status of their children and families.
The Council’s first progress report is due to the governor in July of 2025, and CASCW looks forward to sharing the Council updates as they are available.