Information Sharing in Youth and Family Serving Systems: An Attorney’s Guide

The appropriate sharing of necessary information is an essential part of ensuring more effective processes in working with youth and families involved in child welfare and juvenile justice. The ability to identify and share meaningful data and information is critical in case planning for system-involved youth as well as monitoring and evaluating reform efforts undertaken on their behalf. Despite the value of sharing information, there are valid concerns among attorneys regarding the risks of sharing information and the need for protections to be in place. In addition, the development of processes for sharing can be fraught with obstacles often arising from a lack of understanding or a misunderstanding of legal parameters. This course provides a review of the specific federal laws and regulations governing information sharing, guidance on the methods by which state statutes may be researched, constitutional considerations of due process, and practical methods for designing information sharing strategies that best serve youth and families.